Prisoners
by WildcatYST
Summary: Kagome is captured by an enemy and imprisoned in his castle. But she is not alone. She discovers a weak and angry Sesshoumaru. Will they be able to put their differences aside to escape? Or will the man behind their capture get what he really wants?
1. The Beginning

**A/N:** Thanks for dropping by! This is my first attempt at a long Inuyasha fic, so please be gentle with reviews. This story is a Sess/Kag story, so if you don't like that pairing, then don't read. Let me know what you think! 

**Summary:** Kagome is captured by an enemy and imprisoned in his castle. But she is not alone. She discovers a weak and angry Sesshoumaru, and that is just the beginning of her problems. Will they be able to put their differences aside to escape? Or will the man behind their capture get what he really wants?

**Prisoners**

**By: WildcatYST**

**Chapter One: The Beginning**

Kagome felt her arms begin to ache. She had drawn her bow so many times to shoot at enemies that her muscles were becoming weak. Just when she thought the demons were gone, another wave would attack her and her friends. She could hear Inuyasha screaming attacks and slashing through his enemies, but the sound was growing more and more distant.

_I can't keep this up much longer. _Kagome knew that she would not last much longer under these attacks.

Before being ambushed, it has been a normal day on her shard hunting journey. Inuyasha had demanded ramen and fought with Shippou over the last few bites. Miroku had groped Sango and been smacked with a very heavy boomerang at least five times before breakfast was over. Yep, normal as normal could be.

Kagome had sensed a shard in the deep forests ahead of them after some time of traveling, and it did not take long for their group to find the demon possessing it. It had been a swift battle against the giant frog demon. All seemed well until dark shadows began to gather in the forest. Out of nowhere, dark figures attacked the group. They had human-like shapes with glowing eyes. They looked like the shadows and moved just as swiftly into the group. Sango and Miroku were soon separated from Kagome and Inuyasha. From there, Kagome lost track of the hanyou and had to fend for herself. She thought it was strange that they were not even trying to harm her. It was as if they were separating her.

_I'm out of arrows! _Kagome's mind went blank. What would she do? Now, she was truly worthless. She had no defense and was helpless as the shadows surrounded her.

"That's the one. Bring her." A voice as dark as the shadowy figures spoke. Kagome didn't even have time to turn to face the source of the sound before her world went black from a blow to the back of the head.

* * *

"Inuyasha!" Miroku called as he fended off the last of the shadow men. The hanyou quickly came into view upon the monk's call.

"Where is everyone?" Inuyasha demanded.

"Kirara and I are fine." Sango's voice announced her arrival to the group. She jumped off her fire cat and rested against her boomerang.

"Where's Kagome?" Inuyasha asked impatiently.

"I can't find her!" Shippou's high pitched voice rang in. He had remained hidden most of the battle, as he lacked the ability to really fight.

"Damn it! I'll find her." Inuyasha snorted irritably. He did not like taking time out of shard hunting to track down that clumsy girl. His nose led him to a spot not far from where he battle the shadow demons. Upon looking around, he found no trace of her. His eyes glanced around with more worry than he would like to admit. He sniffed around again, but could not pick up which way her scent left this area. It was mingled with the scent of the strange creatures that attacked them. Footsteps caught his ears, and he turned hoping to find the raven haired miko. Instead, a worried looking Sango and Miroku met his gaze.

"Did you find her?" Sango asked. Inuyasha shook his head, not wanting to admit defeat. He was really starting to worry.

"Lady Kagome!" Miroku called out. There was no answer. The group fanned out to look for signs of the miko. Sango searched through the thick greenery for any sign of her friend. When she reached a small clearing, she saw what appeared to be footprints. They were rather far apart, indicating that someone had come running through the clearing not too long ago. But what she saw shining in the fading sunlight made her breath come short.

"Did you find anything?" Miroku's voice came from behind her. Sango did not turn around as the monk came up beside her. His eyes fixed on the object on the forest floor and he placed a hand on Sango's shoulder.

"What are you two doing!" Inuyasha's voice shouted at them. "We need to look for Kagome!" He looked at the two in anger, and then followed their eyes. What he saw made a part of his heart clench.

Kneeling down in the grass, Inuyasha picked up what was left of Kagome's crushed bow. He gripped the pieces tightly in his hands.

_I never told her. _He thought, as anger and guilt swelled inside of him. _I promised to protect her. _His heart ached at the thought of losing her. _She can't be gone. _He refused to believe that he lost her to the weak beings that attacked them. Sure, there were many of them, but they were not very strong.

Inuyasha shot to his feet and started to run. He followed the footprints into the forest, leaving the calls of his friends behind him. His feet carried him at speeds he had not known he was capable of. He gripped the pink bow in his hands and pursued the trail of his prey. Into the night he ran, leaving a trail of tears behind him.

* * *

Kagome awoke with a start as cold water splashed across her face. Her eyes took a moment to focus, and her mind a moment longer to register what was going on. The last thing she remembered was running out of arrows amongst the enemy. Where was she now? What was going on? 

"Get up." A gruff voice ordered. Kagome did as she was told, too afraid to argue. A hand grabbed her around the arm and she winced as sharp claws dug into her flesh.

Her captor was very tall and built like a wall. His skin was pale, but his eyes and hair were jet black. Black markings covered his neck and he was dressed all in black. He dragged Kagome a few feet along a pathway through the forest. She did not recognize where she was and fear began to take over. Her hands were roughly chained together and she was thrown onto the back of a giant lizard creature, which reminded her of a scaly horse. Kagome trembled as the creatures surrounded her and escorted her through the darkness.

"Don't move. Don't speak. Don't think about escaping." The orders came from the apparent leader of the group. Kagome swallowed the lump in her throat and bit back a whimper.

A few hours into the journey, the caravan came to a stop and she was pulled roughly off of the horse-like lizard. Calloused hands wrapped a blindfold around her eyes and lead her through the forest. She had no choice but to follow them. Kagome was blinded and had no way of defending herself. She could only hope that Inuyasha would find her before anything bad happened.

After a distance, Kagome felt her feet hit stone and she struggled up stairs without the use of her sight. A hand gripped her tightly as it led her up the stairs and apparently into a building. Her body ached and she was terrified, but the hand pulled her along through winding corridors and down more stairs. When the creature finally came to a stop, he tore the blindfold off of her and opened a door. He pushed her roughly through it, and she stumbled to keep her balance.

"Welcome to Arago's castle. Enjoy your stay." The voice snickered and slammed the door shut behind her. Kagome trembled in the small dungeon room. Her hairs stood on end as cold air rushed in through the high barred window. She felt her knees give out from under her and she welcomed the relief of sitting on the rock floor. Leaning her head against the old wood of the dungeon door, she looked directly across the room.

Kagome gasped. A pair of golden orbs stared blankly in her direction. A growl escaped from the delicate looking lips of the captured man. But this was not a man. Sesshoumaru, her enemy, was sitting across from her with his hands bound above him in chains. He was dirty, weak, and his bared teeth told her that he was angry. But more than that, Kagome looked into his eyes and realized he was not seeing what was in front of him.

She stared in front of her as a growl filled the room. Trembling, Kagome pressed herself as far back as she could against the door. Holding her breath, she thought of what to say or what to do. All she could do was stare before her at the Lord of the Western Lands, broken and blind before her.

END CHAPTER

* * *

**Wildcat**: Well, what do you think? Sorry this chapter is so short. The next one will be longer, I promise! That is, if you guys want to read a next chapter. Please review and let me know what you think! 


	2. Mealtime in the Dungeons

**Disclaimer:** Nope, don't own them. Just borrowing them. The storyline however, is mine.

**A/N:** Thanks for all of the wonderful reviews. They really encouraged me to get this chapter out sooner.

**Some questions answered:** Don't worry, you'll find out how Sesshoumaru got captured and why he's blind later in the story. Also, why he is in the mood he is in will be explained later. And you'll find out if he is permanently blind or not. But I can't tell you now because that would take all the fun out of it!

**Last Time:** Kagome is captured and taken from Inuyasha. When she is thrown into the dungeon, she sees Sesshoumaru. But he is blind and injured. What happens next? Read on!

**Prisoners**

**By: Wildcat**

**Chapter Two: Mealtime in the Dungeons**

Sesshoumaru growled as a familiar scent wafted to his nose. He knew who it was the moment she entered his cell, and he did not want her here. Never did he want anyone to see him in his moment of weakness, especially not Inuyasha's wench. He could smell the fear on her and let out another growl when the girl gasped.

"Sesshoumaru?" The miko whispered softly. From what he could tell, she was as far from him as she could get.

He let out another growl in response. Kagome was confused. What was she doing in a dungeon with Sesshoumaru? And how did he get this way? She watched as his glazed, golden eyes looked straight ahead of him. Would he ever see again? Her compassion seemed to fall on deaf ears when she called his name in concern. She leaned against the door and watched the Lord of the Western Lands. He was very still, and seemed to be content just ignoring her presence.

His appearance was less than that of royalty and grace, which she was used to seeing. Sesshoumaru's flowing garments were gone. His chest was completely bare and she watched in fascination as its chiseled features rose and fell with his breath. The pants he normally wore seemed to be in descent shape, as they were still whole and completely covered his lower half. His hair was dirty, but still shown brightly in the moonlight drifting into the room from the barred window. The porcelain skin of the inuyoukai was smudged with dirt and what appeared to be dried blood.

"What happened to you?" Kagome's voice was laced with worry.

_Why does this ningen worry? _Sesshoumaru wondered. He had attempted to kill her and that disgusting hanyou brother of his on numerous occasions, and yet she would bother to worry about his safety.

"This Sesshoumaru does not make conversation with worthless humans." He answered in his cold voice.

"Eep!" Kagome nearly jumped out of her skin at his tone of voice. Why she had shown the arrogant ass any compassion was beyond her. "Well excuse me, almighty chained one." Kagome muttered sarcastically. A sharp clink of chains and fierce growl made her eyes widen. It seemed that Sesshoumaru had lunged at her, but the chains holding him against the wall held him firmly in place.

"I would hold your tongue miko." Sesshoumaru warned, lapsing from his usually cool and collected demeanor to display a hint of anger. "The day I break these chains is the day you die." He added in his usual calm voice, and then remained silent.

Kagome sat in silent contemplation. The chains binding the Lord of the Western Lands did not seem strong enough to hold him against his will. In fact, she was certain that he could break them. But why didn't he?

_There must be a spell on them. _Kagome concluded. She had heard of many mystical enchantments that she supposedly had the power to perform and break. However, her lack of experience left her almost useless in the field of miko powers. She sighed. Another reason she was useless.

Kagome pulled her knees against her chest and wrapped her arms around them. She felt very cold and alone, despite the presence of Inuyasha's brother. Inuyasha. Kagome shuddered at the thought of his name. Was he looking for her? Did he even notice she was gone? She didn't know if he would come to save her. He could always get Kikyou to find the shards for him. Kikyou. Just thinking about Inuyasha's former lover made her want to cry. In fact, she wanted to cry so much that she did. She buried her head in her arms and succumbed to the urge to shed the tears she had been holding back. Tears flowed down her cheeks as she thought about the events of the day, and let her exhausted body show its sadness.

* * *

Inuyasha raced through the forest after the trail that he knew would lead him to Kagome. He saw the green forest blur by him as he picked up speed and kept on the trail. His legs pumped harder and faster as he felt himself making up the precious time he had lost before he realized she had been taken.

_I'm getting closer. _Inuyasha knew that he was gaining ground on whoever or whatever took Kagome. He wouldn't let them get away with taking her from him! When he got his hands on them, he would tear them limb from limb.

A sudden noise made Inuyasha stop in his tracks. His head whipped towards the sound of the noise. His eyes widened at the sight of a black haired girl in a green skirt and white top running into the forest.

"Kagome?" Inuyasha called out to her. She kept running from him, gracefully dodging among the trees. "Kagome!" He called her name and followed. But when he reached the clearing, she wasn't there. A quick look around revealed her retreating backside disappearing deeper into the woods.

"This isn't funny!" He yelled and chased after her. After following her figure off the trail through the forest, he stopped to get a bearing on his location.

_Damn. When did she get faster than me? _Inuyasha growled at his own weakness. She wouldn't get the better of him. He sniffed the air, and was surprised to find no scent in the air. Kagome's familiar sweet smell did not meet his nose. In fact, only the smell of trees and dirt met him.

"Kagome, stop playing around!" Inuyasha shouted and bound off in the direction of her retreating figure again. This girl was always playing games at the wrong time. One day it was going to get her hurt. Inuyasha was mad that she was running from him and that he could not catch up, but he was glad she was alive. But when he caught her he was going to yell at her like he'd never yelled before. Leaping off again, he searched for his companion amongst the forest.

* * *

Kagome didn't realize she had been sleeping until the sound of wood scrapping against wood woke her. She looked beside her and saw that a small sliding door had been opened from outside their cell. Before she could look out, a tray of food was shoved into the cell and the wooden cubby hole slammed shut. Kagome looked down at it in confusion.

_Who ever heard of treating your prisoners with kindness. _She thought as she surveyed the tray of food. Freshly cooked meat still steaming from the kitchen, plump looking rice, some fruit, and a tall glass of water. The food would be irresistible if Kagome had not been in a filthy dungeon to eat it. In fact, the thought of food made her nauseous. The last thing she wanted was to make herself comfortable here. Crossing her arms in front of her in defiance, she turned her nose away from the nice meal.

When she looked up to see Sesshoumaru, she thought for a moment that he had regained his sight. He seemed to be staring straight at the plate of food, but when she waved her hand in front of it to test her theory, she found that he still could not see. A thought suddenly occurred to her.

"Are you hungry?" She asked him. No reply. Even if he wanted food his pride would probably keep him from asking for her help. Kagome figured that he would ride out the hunger pains to avoid seeming weak to a human.

Kagome was absolutely right. Sesshoumaru would rather die of starvation than ask his brother's wench to feed him as if he were a helpless pup. Demons such as himself required minimal food, but it was still nice to have something in your stomach after a week without it. He fought with his own stomach, willing it not to grumble or make any noise. It has been a week since he had been captured, and until then no food had been offered. In fact, he had not heard or smelled anyone around since his capture. Without his eyesight, he relied on his ears and nose to tell him what was going on. It was revolting to think how he had been captured. Even Inuyasha could have seen it coming, and probably would have prevented it. But Sesshoumaru, proud as he was, knew when he had made a mistake. He had made a mistake. Just a tiny mishap and he was locked up in a dungeon with this stinking miko….

A grumble pierced through Sesshoumaru's thoughts. He wanted to tear something to pieces. He wanted to escape and seek his revenge so that he could return to the western lands. He wanted food.

A shuffling noise caught his attention, and he heard the miko take hesitant footsteps towards him.

"Are you hungry?" She asked him again, barely a whisper in the silent cell. Sesshoumaru did not answer again. He knew that his body relied on food to keep going, and he knew that he would need his strength if he were to escape. Turning away her help would be foolish, but he did not want to admit that he needed her help.

Kagome sensed his turmoil. He was, no doubt, debating whether or not to stoop to her level and accept her offer. She decided to kneel next to him with the tray of food. Another grumble almost made her giggle. The almighty Sesshoumaru, the invincible force of the Western Lands, had a grumbling stomach. It was too funny for her to hold her giggle in. Sesshoumaru growled.

"If you do not keep silent, I will bite your hand off." He said coldly, and Kagome knew he would back up his threat. But did this mean he wanted her to feed him? Kagome hoped so, or else she was about to get a finger or two taken off.

She picked up a piece of the meat with the chopsticks provided and gently lifted them to Sesshoumaru's lips. Being so close to him sent shivers up her spine and made her whole aura tingle. Her body was telling her to purify, to protect itself, but her mind said no. She was afraid of the demon before her even though he was seemingly blind and helpless. She knew that the demon lord was capable of doing some terrible things, but she also knew that he needed her help. Kagome had always been a sucker for stray animals. She would feed them and play with any that wandered up to the temple. And the creature before her reminded her so much of the puppy-like hanyou she cared for that she could not betray her nature and turn something in need away.

Sesshoumaru could smell the savory meat and held his composure to devour it as quickly as possible. He may be half starving, but he would retain his dignity. If he put away his pride for a moment and accepted the food, he could regain some of his strength and find a way to escape this prison. If he refused, he would become weaker and weaker, and Sesshoumaru could not stand for that. He may be prideful, but he was too smart to allow that pride to kill him.

He opened his mouth and with as much dignity and grace as he could took the meat from the chopsticks. Kagome smiled wide as the demon took the food. She remained silent and fed him the rest of the meat. Her whole body was becoming warm. She felt her heart quicken.

_I am hand feeding the Lord of the Western Lands. _She squealed on the inside. _I wish I had a camera to show the girls back home. They would absolutely drool over this one!_ In fact, Kagome had suddenly found it a little warm. Being so close to something so dangerous and yet so beautiful sent adrenaline running through her body. She didn't know if she should be scared of him or just plain worship him. When she picked up a clump of rice, she noticed him turn up his nose when it came to his lips.

"I no longer require your services." Sesshoumaru said curtly. Kagome shrugged.

"Suit yourself." She said, ignoring the annoyed sound from Sesshoumaru. She placed the food back onto the tray and returned to the other side of their cell. Kagome felt tired and let herself relax against the wall.

Sesshoumaru did not seem so unkind chained to the walls of the cell. He looked less aggressive and less frightening. Something about the demon across from her got her curiosity going. How did he get here? What had happened to him? Where were they? A thousand questions burned in her mind and she knew that the Lord of the Western Lands would not answer them. So she was content to sit across from him, contemplating if she really knew the real Sesshoumaru and why she was so comfortable in his presence.

* * *

"Inuyasha has been distracted." A monotone voice echoed in the large throne room.

"Good. I suppose you think you are clever for disguising yourself as the girl and covering your own scent." A deep, echoing voice answered.

"I am disgusted that I am pretending to be my reincarnation. It undermines me." The cool voice of Kikyou answered. A chuckled was her reply.

"Yes, but it got the job done. Inuyasha has been led in the wrong direction, and soon you can reclaim your soul from the girl's body, after I'm through with her, that is." The voice answered from the shaded throne.

"What is it you plan to do with the demon and the girl?" Kikyou's cold demeanor did not change, though she was curious to know.

"Telling you my plans was not in our agreement." The voice replied. "You do your part in distracting Inyuasha and I'll do my part in delivering you the rest of your soul." The voice answered. Kikyou's eyes narrowed at the shadowy figure.

"What are your next orders?" She asked without showing a hint of emotion.

"Do as you like, just as long as that hanyou is kept far from here. He would only mess up my plans." The man replied, giving a flick of his wrist as a signal that she was free to go.

"As you wish, Arago-sama." She replied and swept gracefully from the room. Kikyou clenched her teeth. She did not like playing the puppet for this Arago. But he has something she wanted, and she always got what she wanted.

_Foolish woman. _Arago's thoughts reflected the smirk on his face. _She may live out her usefulness before I complete my plans. But everything is going as planned. Soon, I will be more powerful than Naruku. With those two in my possession, there are only a few more preparations left._

_His shadowy figure disappeared into the rooms behind his throne and a cackling laugh resonating off the palace walls. It was all falling together perfectly, and no one suspected a thing. _

* * *

**WildcatYST:** Well, what did you think? More questions than answers in this chapter, but I promise you will get all the info you need by the time this little ficcy is over. I know Sesshoumaru really doesn't have to eat, but it makes the story more interesting, don't you think? Okay, so I'm bending the rules a little, but you still like it right? I have some big plans for Sesshy and Kagome, so stay tuned for more! If you want more, you've got to review or I'll think no one likes the story and I won't update. And Sesshy wouldn't like that very much! So keep reviewing and I hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	3. The Fallen Angel

**A/N: **Thanks again for all of the great reviews! This story is just getting started and I hope you all like it so far. This chapter should answer some questions and give you new ones to think about. Let me know what you think.

**Last time: **Kagome got to hand feed the Lord of the Western Lands. She still doesn't know where she is or how Sesshoumaru got there. Inuyasha has been thrown off her trail by non other than Kikyou. What other plans does Arago have? Read on to find out!

**Prisoners**

**By: WildcatYST**

**Chapter 3 - The Fallen Angel**

Kagome stretched her arms above her and arched her tense back. She had managed to get some sleep during the night. Sesshoumaru did not speak or move all through the night, and she was not sure if that was a good or bad thing. The Lord of the Western Lands was something of an enigma, a great puzzle that needed to be figured out. As she looked over at the demon, she could not help but ask herself questions.

_Why is he here? _She wondered as she stared at him intently. It was inconceivable to her that the great warrior could have been taken prisoner in the same manner she had been. Surely the demon could fend for himself, as she had seen time and time again with his fights with Inuyasha. How was it that such a clever, skilled fighter could be conned into imprisonment.

_He has two arms. _This thought surprised her as she noticed that Sesshoumaru had two arms chained above his head. _When did that happen? _She asked herself. Perhaps he regenerated it. That couldn't be right. If he could, why would he attempt to connect a new arm with the jewel shards as he had at a previous encounter with the miko? Maybe youkai healers were advanced enough to heal him.

With a slight shrug to her shoulders, Kagome decided that she would inquire as to the appearance of his missing appendage when the dog demon seemed to be in a good mood. That is, if he ever had moods. One thing that had always intrigued Kagome about Sesshoumaru was that he was always in control of himself. His face never gave away his emotions, and his eyes concealed his true feelings behind a wall of ice. If she was lucky, she would not be stuck in his dungeon long enough to discover the subtleties of his moods. Sighing to herself, Kagome curled her knees up to her chest and laid her head on top of them.

Sesshoumaru heard the tired sigh escape the girl across from him. He had been awake for some time and was fully aware that his brother's wench had awoken from her sleep. It was degrading thinking about what had transpired between them the night before. Being hand fed by a human disgusted him, and by his brother's woman no less. It was disgraceful enough to be imprisoned by an enemy, but to depend on this human was down right dishonorable. But he was aware that he was dependant on her for now. That would mean that he would have to refrain himself from permanently silencing her for her annoyances. Lifting his head, he felt it pound in protest. Whatever his captors had done to him was effectively subduing a large amount of his powers and leaving him without his sight.

Flexing his new appendage, he fought the urge to grind his teeth together. He had suffered enough indignities that he did not want to return to his lands with dull teeth as well. His thoughts returned to the miko resting across the room from him. What did the enemy want with her? What did he want with Sesshoumaru for that matter? He was still unsure of who was holding him and what his intentions were. If death was his intention, Sesshoumaru most definitely would have been dead by now. Something told him that something more sinister than death was on the mind of his captor. The pounding of footsteps brought Sesshoumaru out of his thoughts. The girl let out a surprised gasp and backed away from the door as it was opened.

"Stand up." A rough voice commanded the girl. From the shuffling of feet, Sesshoumaru assumed she had done so. More footsteps entered the room and Sesshoumaru heard them come close to where he was seated on the cell floor.

Kagome was surprised when the door suddenly came open. The youkai in front of her was large, at least seven feet tall with a broad chest covered in black armor. His skin was black and not a single hair covered his exposed forearms. High black boots and pants covered his legs and led to a large metal belt encircling his midsection. A long sword hung at his side along with keys and a small gray pouch. Peeking from behind him was a sleek black tail that reminded Kagome of those cute devil outfits she saw around Halloween, only this one wasn't as cute as it was threatening. Pointed ears stuck out from his head and were adorned with red tips. His eyes were slits of red against his black skin and two small, white pupils centered in the middle of each of them settled on Sesshoumaru.

"Control him." The dark, smooth voice ordered the two other demons that entered behind him. They looked similar to the first one, but much smaller in stature. Kagome doubted that she could tell them apart if the first one wasn't so large.

The two demons approached Sesshoumaru and unbound his hands using the keys they carried at their sides. Kagome was surprised when Sesshoumaru did not strike out at them or attempt to free himself. She snapped her head towards the first guard when a clawed hand firmly grasped her arm.

"Follow me." He ordered, his voice hard and unyielding. Kagome trembled as the white orbs focused on her, sending waves of unease through her sensitive body. This demon seemed to radiate darkness and evil, which didn't surprise her as he looked like a twisted incarnation of the devil himself.

Sesshoumaru breathed in the scent of the jailers. They smelled of ash and soot, something he found quite offensive to his sensitive nose. As two of the creatures roughly unchained him and pulled him to his feet, Sesshoumaru tuned all of his available senses to the ones around him. He wanted to try and break free, but that would not be wise. In his current situation, he was confident that he could take out the two youkai holding him. The problem was that the one who first entered, the one whose ashy smell was now mixing with the human's own scent of fear, could be a problem. As soon as Sesshoumaru took out the two beside him, the other would have time to assault him or close the door and successfully keep lock him back in. That would not due. He would have to wait for his opportunity to get out.

"Let's go." The youkai to his left snarled while pulling roughly on Sesshoumaru. He was lead out of the room and up a series of stairs behind the female and lead demon.

Kagome followed the youkai without making a sound. She silently glanced at the fast passing walls and bare décor aligning them. Gray stone lined the hallways they were walking, and an occasional torch lit the way. After climbing more stairs than Kagome would ever like to again, she was led down a long hallway. Torches made the new hallway seem to glow shades of orange and yellow. A red carpet led to a large pair of golden doors that towered almost higher than Kagome could see. The guard leading her pulled her up to the shining entrance and pushed the doors open.

Beyond the golden doors lay a throne room. It was a large, rectangular room with lush red carpet covering the entire floor. Billowing gold drapes hung from the high windows until they touched the floor. Torches lit the pathway up to a raised area where a high backed red chair sat. When Kagome laid eyes upon who was in the chair, a gasp escaped her lips.

A long, lean figure sat languidly in the seat, one clawed hand draped over the arm of the chair and the other cupping a gracefully curved cheek. A thin smile split across a pale face, just below a sharply contoured nose. Ice blues eyes peered out from behind golden bangs that appeared to fall from the top of his head like a yellow waterfall. The demon before her was undoubtedly male, though he looked more beautiful than any woman she had ever seen. His entire body was draped in flowing garments of silver and sky blue. The smile appeared to grow wider across his face as Kagome was forced to approach him. She let out the breath she had been holding and met his cold eyes with her own.

"Welcome Lady Kagome, Lord Sesshoumaru." The creature nodded his head in what looked to be respect. Sesshoumaru breathed deeply and could feel cold air rush through his system. He felt the grip on his arms loosen and he took the chance he had.

Kagome turned swiftly as the sound of bone crushing caught her attention. Sesshoumaru stood with both arms extended into the chests of his captors. Their eyes rolled back into their heads as blood oozed from their wounds and covered the Lord of the Western Lands hands. He quickly pulled his clawed hands from the bodies and cracked his poison whip through them for good measure. He stood snarling, poison still dripping from his claws, with his head tilted to the side to get an exact location on his next victim. Kagome's eyes widened as she saw him lift his hand and aim blindly in her direction. A strong shove to her right arm sent her flying to the floor as the guard holding her crouched to the floor.

He sprung with deftly speed and dodged the crack of Sesshoumaru's deadly whip. The guard landed directly in front of Sesshoumaru, and as the dog demon drew his hand backwards, the demon threw a fist towards him. Sesshoumaru brought his other arm to block the blow.

Sesshoumaru blinked his eyes. He had seen the punch coming. He had _SEEN _it. It was blurry, and he could not make out the details of the world around him, but he had definitely seen the fist coming. He blink his eyes and found that he could see clearer. The demon before him widened his eyes and Sesshoumaru could see that too. Sesshoumaru narrowed his golden eyes as they began to focus even more. Inside he was smirking, but he placed the cold façade over his features and flexed his claws. As he rose his hand to strike out at the demon before him, he saw the creature reach into a bag on his waist. Kagome watched almost in slow motion as Sesshoumaru drew his fist up to attack and the other demon simultaneously reached into the gray bag and tossed a green powder into the face of the Lord of the Western Land.

Sesshoumaru hissed in pain and dropped to one knee as he brought his hands to his eyes. They were burning as if a thousand needles were pricking them and the pain began to spread from his eyes to his face and neck. He blinked, but only an inky blackness met his gaze. His vision was gone. His ticket to freedom was taken with the flick of a powdered wrist. Before he could gather himself, he felt the cold metal of a necklace being thrown over his neck and the energy drained quickly from him, causing his shoulders to slump forward from his lack of strength. The black demon seemed satisfied that the golden necklace he had lain upon the demon would subdue him and turned red eyes to his master.

"My, my Sesshoumaru. Where are your manners?" The deep voice of the Arago asked as he rose from his position on the chair. Kagome still lay ungracefully on the floor, her blue gray eyes wide in fear and confusion. A cold hand almost gently lifted her from the floor. "You have startled our dear lady. We'll have to do something about your behavior." He made a tsking sound, like a mother would a child who was doing something wrong. He turned his piercing eyes onto Kagome and let a smile cross his lips, though Kagome did not feel particularly warmed by it. "Do accept my apology for Toshi's harshness on you." The demon gestured towards the black demon who had retrieved her from the cell.

"Shall I take him to the extraction chambers?" Toshi asked in his dark voice.

"Take extra guards with you." The blue eyed demon commanded, and Toshi did as told. He lead a weakened and again blind Sesshoumaru from the room with the help of several guards that had entered the room upon his request. Kagome's eyes followed with concern. "Do not worry, he will be fine. The blindness is a temporary condition and so is his weakened strength. But such measures are necessary to contain him."

"Why?" Kagome's voice sounded weak and her entire body was shaking. She was afraid and wasn't sure what was going to happen to her.

"He must be contained for his safety and ours." Inquisitive eyes looked into her own. "The extraction process can be painful, and a youkai in pain is a very dangerous thing indeed." Kagome absently bit her bottom lip. It was a habit she had picked up from her mother. Whenever she was nervous, her pearly whites would assault her sensitive bottom lip, turning it red from her ministration.

"What do you mean by extraction?" Kagome asked, turning her worried eyes on the creature holding her captive. She was smart enough not to attempt an escape. Doing so now would result in her death, and she had seen how they had taken Sesshoumaru down. Granted, they had access to powerful enchantments. The necklace reminded her of the beads Inuyasha wore. Only the one that had been draped over Sesshoumaru was a plain, golden chain, must like a collar on a dog in modern times. Kagome shuddered. When would Inuyasha get there to save her? She surely wouldn't last much longer in this place.

"I require his poison for a certain project." Arago searched for the right words. "It must be extracted in the proper way for it to be useful to me. He will be returned to the dungeons once the process if finished." He paused a moment, looking into her eyes as if peering through her soul. "You are very unique, Kagome."

"What do you want with me?" She asked in half terror and half indignation at his blatant staring. A silky laugh escaped his thin lips.

"That isn't important yet. You are not ready for my needs yet." Arago answered with some humor in his voice. The fire in this girl surprised him, and he knew that she was certainly the one he was looking for. His eyes glittered with something Kagome could not place.

"Then why am I still here?" Kagome averted her eyes. His intense gaze seemed to be evaluating her, sizing her up and she could not compete with such intenseness.

"To take care of him." Arago replied. "Sesshoumaru will need the services of a miko while in my palace. You will be his caretaker until you are ready to serve your purpose for me."

"What?" Kagome turned her eyes from the floor to him with surprise. The notion of Kagome being Sesshoumaru's nurse was simply ridiculous. Was this guy not aware that the Lord of the Western Lands could tear her to pieces?

"You will be in no danger. The measures we have applied will assure that he will be no stronger than a human while in your care. His wounds will need tending too, and you will hone your miko abilities on them." He opened his mouth to say more when the opening of the golden doors interrupted him. Another demon, identical to the ones Sesshoumaru had slain and who still remained on the throne room floor, entered the room.

"Forgive my intrusion, Arago-sama." The demon bowed low. "Your presence is required in the extraction chambers."

"Take Lady Kagome back to her chambers. Sesshoumaru will join you shortly." Arago bowed to Kagome and exited the room with a flutter of silken fabric. Kagome was broken from her thoughts as the demon grabbed her arm and escorted her back to the dungeons. Her mind was going a mile a minute as she was practically dragged through the cold, stone hallways.

_Poor Sesshoumaru… _Kagome thought. Whatever method of extraction they used could not be pleasant and probably involved a lot of pain. She was still confused as to why she was here, and why Sesshoumaru was there too. Sure, Arago wanted the dog demon's poison, but why? What could he need it for? And what role did Kagome play in his plans down the line?

_Please hurry, Inuyasha. _She silently prayed. She wasn't sure how long she could remain in this castle before something horrible happened to her. Kagome was pushed back into her cell and locked inside its darkness. If she had been scared before, she was terrified now. There were youkai everywhere and she could sense them. She was the pawn in a game directed by a demon who looked more like an angel. And she was to play nurse to the Lord of the West. Things could not get any worse.

* * *

Inuyasha sat on the branch of a tree high above his fellow shard hunters. Shippo had been crying for hours and the sound made his insides turn. He couldn't find Kagome in the dark trees and had finally settled down for camp. She would no doubt come running to the group as soon as she finished being so childish. 

_I can't believe she ran from me…_ Inuyasha thought as he looked up at the stars in the sky. He had chased her through the forest for hours and never found her. Maybe she had gone home. Yes. She would be tired and scared, and would want to go home. He looked down at the monk and demon slayer trying to comfort the little kitsune. A fire cackled below him and lit up the faces of his companions.

The little kit was still crying, unable to comprehend how his surrogate mother could be done. Inuyasha pushed his ears back against his head and slumped back into the hard bark of the tree. He had not told them that he had actually seen her in the forests. They would be mad that he could not find her. Something was bothering him though. He couldn't smell her, and she seemed to drift in and out of the woods like a spirit. Something about the land around them freaked him out. He couldn't quite figure out what it was that bothered him about this place, but it definitely gave him the chills.

Another wail came from the little fox demon. Inuyasha groaned. He just wanted to rest so he could hurry to the well and yell at Kagome for being stupid. Those guys could have killed her! But she had to go and play hide and seek with him. She was definitely going to get a long yell when she got back. Inuyasha rolled his eyes and sighed. He was just glad he had seen her. At least she was okay, even if she was infinitely pissing him off with her games. Shaking his head in disapproval, Inuyasha closed his eyes to get the rest he needed to get to the well in the morning.

* * *

Kagome was awakened from her sleep by the opening of her cell door. She blinked the sleep from her eyes and watched as the limp body of Sesshoumaru was dragged in by two demons. They dropped him on the floor and tossed a bag towards her. Without a word, they left the room and Kagome alone with one of her biggest fears. She looked at the unconscious demon for a long time before opening the bag. It contained healing supplies, herbs, bandages and other supplies. Reaching towards the still form of the youkai, Kagome's hand shook as it touched his shoulder. No response. He was out cold. 

_Thank Kami for small miracles. _Kagome sighed as she struggled to turn the demon over. The guards had not too gently dropped him flat on his face and left him there. With some effort, she managed to lay him on his back and get a good look at him. She felt a lump rise in her throat. He was covered in blood. Not only the red stains of the guards from earlier, but his own blood covered his arms and his chest. Cuts were seen all over his body and she could see that some were still oozing with blood. Swallowing hard, she resigned herself to task.

It wasn't because Arago told her, but because she wanted to. If she had come across Sesshoumaru with these wounds, she would want to help him. It was her nature, and she was sure it was going to get her into trouble someday. Probably sooner than latter in the present situation. But Kagome looked down at the proud youkai and felt her chest tighten at the look of him. He looked so broken before her in his current state, and it broke her heart. He was the essence of grace, nobility, and pride. Sesshoumaru was a force to be reckoned with and was a beautiful specimen of his race. Something about the way he looked now made Kagome sad. It was if an angel had fallen from heaven.

With a heavy heart, Kagome cradled Sesshoumaru's head in her hands. She took the supplies from the bag and began cleaning his wounds. Whatever fear she had of him had left her. Her instincts and training as a miko took over as she gently tended to his wounds. As she applied the remedies and bandages to his body, she let the tears she had been holding back fall from her eyes. She did not bother to wipe them away as they fell down her face and into the silver hair of the youkai in her lap. Kagome continued tending his wounds as she cried. She cried for herself and the fear of what would happen to her. She cried for the hole she felt in her heart at being separated from her friends and family. But most of all, she cried for the fallen angel before her.

* * *

**WildcatYST**: How was that chapter? Reviews are appreciated! I've never really written a fight or death scene, so I hope Sesshoumaru's little fight was okay. Let me know what you think! 


	4. An Exchange of Words

**A/N: **Thanks again for all of the great reviews! I love hearing what you all have to say about my fic. This chapter was fun to write, so I hope it is just as fun to read! Let me know what you think!

**Some questions answered: **

**What does Arago want with Kagome? **You find out more of his plans in this chapter, so read and find out! )

**How did Sesshoumaru get his arm back? **That's part of the story, so you'll all just have to wait and see. Here's a hint though: It has something to do with Sesshoumaru's desire to get the Tetsaiga.

**How did Sesshoumaru get captured? **Also part of the story and I don't want to ruin it for you. But, since I'm in such a good mood today I'll give you another hint: It involves Rin.

**To all of the reviewers for this fic: **Thanks for all of your support. Comments and criticism are welcome and I love hearing what you all think of my fic. Keep reviewing, and I'll keep writing:)

**Last Time: **Kagome and Sesshoumaru are brought to Arago himself. Kagome gets to see Sesshoumaru in action as he takes down some guards. After regaining his sight for a short time, he is again blinded and weakened by the powerful youkai in charge. Kagome discovers that Arago wants Sesshoumaru's poison, but won't tell her why she is here just yet. Now it's up to Kagome to take care of a wounded Sesshoumaru…

**Prisoners**

**By: WildcatYST**

**Chapter 4 - An Exchange of Words**

Inuyasha sniffed at the wind. He had caught the familiar scent of his undead love and wondered why she was here. Miroku and Sango knew she was around and were on edge. They never did like the strange priestess that always tried to take Kagome's life. Shippo clung to Sango's shoulders as Kikyou's form came into view.

"Inuyasha." The sultry voice floated to his ears. Inuyasha stopped where he was and watched as her pale figure turned to face him. The sight of her still took his breath away. The same feelings stirred within him whenever he saw her in those miko robes and when he looked into the softness of her chocolate eyes. Kikyou was different from Kagome. Inuyasha loved Kikyou, but he loved Kagome too. He loved each for a different reason. Kikyou, for her grace, level headedness, and advanced skills. Kagome on the other hand was always cheerful and willing to help others, even when it meant putting himself in danger.

"Kikyou." Inuyasha responded, not quite trusting his voice to say much more. Kikyou stood before the group as cold as ever, but that would not deter him. Somewhere beneath that cool exterior was the woman he loved. He knew that he would have to make a choice between Kikyou and Kagome one day, but that could wait. Right now, he was content to balance between the two.

"You have lost my reincarnation." Kikyou stated, not seemingly asking a question.

"Something isn't right." Miroku gripped his tightly as chills ran up his spine. It was too much of a coincidence that Kikyou would appear as they were searching for their friend and mention that she was gone. Something just didn't feel right about this situation. Kikyou turned her cold eyes on the monk, causing Sango to raise her own weapon.

"What do you want?" She asked through gritted teeth. Miroku grinned, glad the demon slayer was sticking up for him instead of beating up on him.

"I am merely concerned for the well being of my soul." The dead miko said without a hint of emotion. This caused Sango to seethe with anger. How dare that clay pot be concerned for her soul and not Kagome's life!

"Kikyou, why are you here?" This time, Inuyasha spoke with a softness he did not use often. Kikyou turned all of her attention on him, ignoring the group behind him.

"I want to help you look for her." She smiled sweetly. Inuyasha was lost in her smile as Miroku and Sango rolled their eyes. Even Shippo could see through that fake smile.

"We could use your help." Inuyasha stated.

"What!" Sango shouted. "She is not coming with us!" The demon slayer insisted. Even being around the dead miko made her feel like she was betraying Kagome. The girl from the future was like a sister to her, and Sango did not want to see her hurt. There was no doubt that the undead miko had some underlying motives to her visit.

"Sango." Miroku placed his curse free hand on her shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "Perhaps she could help us." He looked into Sango's eyes. Sango sighed. He was right. Kikyou could sense the jewel shards, and without Kagome, their luck had been down. She knew that Kagome could sense when Kikyou was around, so maybe Kikyou could sense Kagome. Maybe they could use her help.

With an indignant huff, Sango shrugged her shoulders to show she didn't care what Inuyasha decided. After more protests and wailing from the little fox kitsune, it was decided that Kikyou would temporarily join the group in order to find Kagome. Inuyasha smiled at the group. Kikyou had promised to help find Kagome, and he felt that she would really help them.

Kikyou watched as the group set camp. She could feel the tension in the air and enjoyed it. The demon slayer obviously hated her. The monk was very suspicious, and he had every reason to be. She was working for the enemy and embedding herself in the group to make sure they did not find her reincarnation. The kitsune was frustrated and crying. It seemed he looked to Kagome as a mother figure.

_How touching. _Kikyou thought with disgust. _Soon, Arago will be finished with her and I can take my soul. _Kikyou smiled cruelly in the darkness. Inuyasha was far too trusting. He put himself and his comrades in danger because of one sappy smile from her. They were playing right into her hands.

* * *

Arago sat before a desk in a room filled with books. A rather old book was open on the desk, tattered and worn with age. Dust flew from the pages as he delicately turned them, searching for what he needed. He was searching through an ancient text that was thought to have been lost many years ago. It was a collection of very powerful spells and incantations from Ashi, the cruelest and most vile of demons. His powers were renowned and feared among the youkai world. However, his unfortunate demise left many followers craving to know the secrets of his powers. Arago was one of them. 

His pale blue eyes scanned each page until he found the one he was looking for. The book had fallen into his hands after generations of research conducted by his family. A cold smile graced his lips as he could almost taste his victory. With all of the ingredients at his disposal, he could finally obtain the power he craved.

"I will be more powerful than any demon on this earth. Not even the Shikon jewel can give me the power that I will wield." His eyes sparkled with anticipation as he looked at the page holding the key to his success.

_When the venom of the Inu clan_

_Is mixed with that of the miko yet born_

_The life force of the protector of the Shikon_

_Will bestow the ultimate power_

Arago traced the words with one claw. Several notes were written on the page, and he knew they belonged to Ashi. The old demon had tried for centuries to uncover the secret of the legends, and it was not until after his death that the meaning of them was known. Other lines of text revealed the exact procedures for the obtainment of the prize the demon craved. Poison extraction and the melding of it with the miko was outlined in detail.

"These notes are useful." Arago spoke aloud to himself. "Soon, I will have enough to begin the second phase."

A laugh echoed off the walls of the library. Arago knew he was getting close to something that had been chased for centuries. Finally, the pieces were in place. Once he had the legendary powers outlined in the lost book, he would be unstoppable. All of the lands would be his and all the creatures of the world would gravel at his feet. It was only a matter of time before he completed the preparations.

* * *

_He was in pain. His entire body was__afire with agony and he wanted to cry out. Where was his mother? What happened? He remembered walking through the forests of his lands with his mother when a powerful blast of energy exploded around them. Then there was only pain. Sesshoumaru clutched his side to prevent more blood from spilling from his wound. He sniffed the air and scanned his surroundings with narrowed eyes. That's when he saw her. _

_His beautiful mother was lying on her stomach in a patch of red grass. Sesshoumaru ran as fast as he could to her and knelt beside her body. He saw the rise and fall of her frame as she took shallow breaths into her lungs. He gently turned her over with what little strength he had left. _

_"Mother?" He asked, frightened that she could not hear him. His mother's beautiful blue eyes opened slowly at her son's calling. _

_"Sesshoumaru?" Her weak voice made her young son's heart fall. She was fading from him fast. His hand sought hers as she shuddered from the pain of her wounds. Her blood covered the ground and Sesshoumaru knew that she was dying. _

_"Mother, don't speak. Healers will come. You'll be fine." Sesshoumaru was not sure if he was trying to convince her or himself. A soft smile spread across his mothers beautiful features. _

_"I am sorry, my child." She spoke as tears welled up in her eyes. Sesshoumaru shook his head. _

_"Don't talk like that." He ordered, feeling the fear rise as her death grew closer. _

_"Promise me something." The Lady of the West looked up into the face of her child, the one who would one day rule the Western Lands. _

_"Anything." Was his quiet reply. _

_"Take care of your father." She spoke as the tears spilled over her eyes and down her cheeks. "And yourself. I want you to be happy." She reached her delicate hand up to his face and stroked it gently. She often did so when her son was frightened or hurt. It was comforting, and Sesshoumaru leaned his cheek into her soft palms. "And do not blame him." She whispered softly. _

_"I promise." Sesshoumaru nodded solemnly. _

_"That's good." His mother sighed softly. "You will grow into a strong leader, Sesshoumaru. You are such a fine son." She smiled again and brushed the hair from his face. "You look so much like your father." _

_"He is coming. I feel him, mother. He will come and make things better." Sesshoumaru replied desperately. His mother shook her head. _

_"It's too late. Tell him I love him. I have always loved him." The light in her eyes began to dim. The beautiful liveliness that was the Lady of the West was slowing draining away onto the forest floor. "I love you, my son." Her fingers stroked his cheek in a comforting way. Sesshoumaru clutched her hands as it began to fall and pressed it against his cheek. _

_"I love you, mother." He spoke, his voice wavering in his sorrow. _

_And then she was gone. Her life taken from him by a cowardly trap. He shook his head unbelievingly, rubbing her fingers as if she would magically come to life at his touch. _

_"No." His voice was a whisper. "No. Please mother." No response came from the dead youkai before him. He let the tears fall freely from his face. The physical pain he was in was lost as his entire world shattered. His mother was dead. _

_"Mother!" He screamed, letting the pain he felt drive the call from his chest and into the forest. His fingers clutched desperately at her hand, wanting to hold onto that feeling. He clenched his teeth together and threw his head back to let out a long, agonizing cry. His pain echoed through the forests and to the ears of his approaching father. The entire forest seemed to shudder at the pain filling his scream. _

_That day, he made a promise. He would seek revenge on whoever did this. They would pay for taking his mother from him. Sesshoumaru would do whatever it took to see that they died a horrible and terrible death. He shut his eyes and bowed his head in respect to his mother. He would avenge her if it killed him. This, he promised himself. _

* * *

Kagome ran her fingers through the silver stands of Sesshoumaru's hair. He had slept through the night after she tended his wounds and had shown no signs of waking as she treated them again this morning. They were already healing, which was a good sign that he would be just fine. She watched as he tossed his head in his sleep. Kagome made a soothing noise and moved her hand from his hair to his cheek. She gently stroked it to calm his dreams. It seemed that the Lord of the Western Lands was having a nightmare. 

Kagome gasped when she felt a hand grasp hers. His grip was tight on her, as if he was afraid she would slip away from him. Though his strength was drained, Kagome still felt the power of his grasp.

"I promise." Sesshoumaru whispered, in a voice full of tenderness and love that Kagome had never imagined he possessed.

He tossed his head again and Kagome felt his muscles tense. His breathing became labored, as if he were in pain. Kagome stroked his cheek and tried to comfort the demon as best as she could.

"No." Sesshoumaru's voice echoed off the walls of the cell. Kagome felt the hand holding hers squeeze and his claws pinch her skin. He was not holding it tight enough to draw blood and Kagome winced at the pain.

"Mother!" Sesshoumaru screamed. Kagome gasped in surprise at the power held in his voice. She began shaking his shoulder, wanting to wake him from whatever dream he was having. Seeing the youkai like this was too much for her. He was supposed to be strong and noble, not screaming in her lap like a child.

She felt him swiftly let go of her hand and sit up quickly. His head barely missed knocking straight into hers as he raised to a sitting position. Sesshoumaru's breath was ragged and his shoulders sagged slightly forward. When his breathing calmed, he laid backwards onto the soft surface he had been cradled on. A few moments passed and Kagome remained stark still as it seemed that he did not realize where he was. Golden orbs suddenly flew open as the realization hit him.

_I am in the prison. _Sesshoumaru thought as he sat up once again and turned a death glare onto the girl behind him, turning his head at an inhuman angle. _And that woman is here. _His nostrils flared as his vision cleared and he focused his now seeing eyes on the woman-child before him.

"Eh…Sesshoumaru-sama." Kagome placed her hands up in front of her in a defensive manner. "I'm sorry, I was just treating your wounds and you starting yelling…" Her sentence was cut short by a sharp, clawed hand to her throat.

"You have five seconds to tell me why I shouldn't kill you." He saw the panic reach her eyes and felt her nails dig into his wrists.

"Please, Sesshoumaru." Her voice squeaked desperately at him. "I was just trying to help." Sesshoumaru glared at her, showing a flash of his white fangs.

_Why does her pathetic scratching cause me to bleed. _He looked at his wrist and noticed the tiny pink scratches appearing on her skin as she fought for her life. Tiny droplets of blood came from the insignificant wounds, but they did not heal. Dropping the woman rather suddenly, the taiyoukai brought his hands up to his face. He felt weak. The girl was able to scratch him and his youkai blood was not healing the scratches on his flesh.

"Explain." He thrust his wrists at the gasping miko and growled lowly in warning.

"It is the chain around your neck. Arago had it put on you so that your powers are weakened. Your strength is that of a human." Kagome answered while gasping for breath.

"Remove it." The sentence was a demand, not a request. Kagome blinked at him, wanting to pound his head into the wall. She had tried that before and it had not worked. Some sort of magic was afoot, and Kagome knew she could not remove the trinket.

"It isn't that easy." Kagome answered.

"Wench, I said remove it. You are a miko, ne? Use your powers and break this spell." The dog demon growled out fiercely. Kagome rolled her eyes. He was as stubborn as his half brother.

"Have it your way." She pouted almost pathetically and reached towards the golden chain around his neck. Placing her hands around the chain, Kagome pulled it up towards his head and immediately felt the searing pain of the spell rebelling. In the end, Sesshoumaru slapped her hands away violently. "I can't take it off." Kagome crossed her arms in front of her.

"Weak woman." He ground out between his teeth. "You mean to tell me that you, a miko, cannot break this common spell?" Sesshoumaru stared at her with his golden eyes and scrutinized her closely.

Kagome felt uncomfortable under his gaze and wondered if she preferred that he was blind as to starring at her with his relentless eyes. Kagome shifted and pulled unconsciously at her short skirt. It had become a habit that when the village people starred at her strange clothing that she tugged at the green fabric in an attempt to make it cover more of her legs. But this look was different. This look could kill her if it wanted to.

"I am not weak." She huffed suddenly, her blood boiling at the accusation. A snort came from the lord as he shifted his position to lean against the wall. He hissed in pain as the movement caused one of his wounds to tear open and blood to ooze from it. "Don't move." Kagome rushed quickly to his side to tend to his wound. A hand slapped at her.

"I do not need the help of a useless wench." Sesshoumaru growled out, covering the now open wound with his hand.

"Have it your way you arrogant little…" Kagome mumbled under her breath. Sesshoumaru gritted his teeth as he waited for his healing powers to take over. He waited a few more moments before realizing that they were still impaired. With a frustrated growl, he leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes to think.

This woman annoyed him, but she could prove useful even though she seemed to have no control over her own powers. With her help, it may be possible to escape this place. The miko traveled with his brother and could sense the jewel shards. Perhaps he would use her to get Tetsaiga when this was all over. Or maybe he would use her to collect the jewel shards himself. She could prove useful in the future is she were left alive, and it appeared that she had tended his wounds while he was unconscious. His train of thought was interrupted when he felt a warm hand press against his wound.

"You are hurt." Kagome's soft brown eyes looked up at him and Sesshoumaru stared down at her in confusion, though it did not show on his face. She was concerned for him. "Let me help you." Her voice was soft, yet demanding. She would not allow any creature to suffer, even one who had tried to kill her.

A soft grunt was her reply, and she took that as consent to tend to him. She retrieved her healing supplies from the other side of the cell and brought them over to him. Kagome cleaned his wound and put the appropriate ointments on the rest of his cuts and bruises.

"You have regained your sight." Kagome desperately tried to make conversation with the deadly taiyoukai. She was becoming very uncomfortable with his silent scrutiny of her.

"It would seem so." He replied stoically. Kagome sighed softly at his lack of response.

"There. All finished." She smiled up at him once she finished bandaging his wounds and he gave her a bored look in response. Well, some response was better than no response. Kagome folded her supplies back into the bag and sat against the opposite wall Sesshoumaru had settled on.

Silence reigned between them. Kagome could not think of anything to say, and Sesshoumaru just plain refused to speak. She stared at him quietly, wondering how the proud dog demon had managed to get himself trapped in here. She wanted to ask him, but knew better than to incur his wrath. Even when extremely weakened, Sesshoumaru was dangerous and had proved that when he nearly choked her.

"Miko." Sesshoumaru demanded her attention. Sighing at the lack of her name, Kagome turned her eyes to him.

"Yes?" She asked hotly, angry that he would refuse to speak her name.

"How extensively have you trained with your powers?" His eyes surveyed her surprised reaction. Her chocolate orbs were wide and her cheeks held the trace of a blush.

"I have not had much experience." Her embarrassed reply came. She was caught off guard by his question and wondered why he wanted to know such a thing about her.

"Obviously." Sesshoumaru scoffed. Kagome thought he was starting to sound like an arrogant prince. Then again, he was one.

"It's not my fault!" Kagome shouted at him and stood from her sitting position.

"Sit girl." Sesshoumaru smirked. He enjoyed getting a rile out of this girl. It was rare that any person would stand up to him enough to bring out his playful and feisty side, but he was rather drawn to banter with the human woman.

_What did he just say? _Kagome's mind screamed. He just mocked me. More than that, he just made a joke. For once in her life, Kagome was completely speechless. The cold, cruel Lord of the West had joked with her. Not to be outdone, Kagome's temper flared.

"At least I don't call out for my mommy in my sleep!" She shouted. _Uh oh_. The look on Sesshoumaru's face made Kagome's blood run cold. Perhaps she had gone a little too far with that one. Faster than Kagome could say sit, Sesshoumaru had lunged at her and knocked her back onto the ground.

Kagome desperately clawed out at him, pushing hard to get him off of her. The heavy youkai was rolled onto the ground off of the struggling woman, but he quickly grabbed her from behind. The two remained struggling and rolling across the dungeon floor until Sesshoumaru finally had her pinned. Kagome lay on her back with the Lord of the West on top of her and holding her hands above her head.

"I would watch your tongue, miko. You don't know of that which you speak. I might change my mind about allowing you to live." Sesshoumaru covered the anger on his face and regained his composure. "I merely wanted to offer my superior knowledge in showing you what I know about your powers. Right now, you will be no help in our escape attempt. With some training, your powers may be helpful." His statement again shocked Kagome. She stared up at him with wide eyes. Not only was the position she in really starting to give her some bad thoughts, but now he was just talking crazy.

"Escape attempt? What escape attempt? I didn't agree to any of this!" Kagome nearly growled out at him, kicking her feet like a spoiled child.

"If you would rather sit here and rot, be my guest." Sesshoumaru growled back, his nose inches from her own. "However, I suggest that you take my advice and strengthen your powers while you can." He looked down smugly at her.

Sesshoumaru had a point. She could hone her skills while in the cell and use them to escape. Perhaps joining forces would be the safest bet. She doubted that she could escape on her own. Sesshoumaru could be blinded and weakened easily. Alone, they didn't stand much of a chance. Together, they may really be able to get away.

"Alright, you win." Kagome sighed as Sesshoumaru smirked in victory.

"It is agreed. You will train and tend my wounds. I will allow you to live." Sesshoumaru removed himself from atop the miko. Her cheeks flushed at the awkwardness of the situation and Sesshoumaru could not help but feel a little satisfaction in knowing that he had embarrassed the modest girl.

Her mind raced along with her heart. Sure, the demon could slice her to pieces and kill her a thousand different ways. But he certainly would look sexy while doing it. While she tried to collect the dignity Sesshoumaru had scattered upon the floor, she couldn't help but steal a glance at him. Watching as the strange demon lord walked back across the cell and sat down, she couldn't help but be amazed. Wasn't this the demon who was supposed to be emotionless? Yet, he had shown a variety of emotions in the short time he had been imprisoned with her.

_Maybe I never paid enough attention. _Kagome brushed dirt from her school uniform and sat quietly against the wall. _Maybe he's just misunderstood. _Kagome believed that there was good in all people and Sesshoumaru was no different in her eyes. Sure, he liked to yell "die, Inuyasha" and constantly pick fights with his own brother. But he allowed a little human girl to follow him everywhere he went. She smiled slyly as she thought about what it would be like to be that little girl. Kagome wondered what happened when the two were alone.

_I bet he reads her bedtime stories and braids her hair. _She giggled on the inside at the thought of Sesshoumaru playing daddy. It was an interesting thing to think about what he was like behind closed doors.

"What are you smiling about?" Sesshoumaru's harsh voice broke her thoughts and caused her smile to widen.

"Nothing." Kagome brushed him off. Sesshoumaru turned a cold glare on her, then stared out the window. Kagome continued to smile joyfully.

_This should be interesting. _Kagome thought about the days ahead ofher. Training with Sesshoumaru? No one would believe it. Sesshoumaru showing emotion? Even more unbelievable. But things seemed to be changing around her. She could feel something big was about to happen to her. What it was, she didn't know. But she had the feeling that it somehow involved the mysterious demon sitting across from her. The scary thing was that Kagome didn't seem to mind at all.

* * *

End of chapter 

Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think. I have lots more in store for these two so I'll go back to my little corner and continue writing.

WildcatYST


	5. Fallen Angel Part 2

**A/N**: It's been awhile since I updated! Finals have kept me busy and away from the fic, but now I'm going on break so more chapters should be coming out soon. Thanks for all of the great reviews. )

**Last time**: Arago wants to mix Sesshoumaru's poison with Kagome's blood. Kikyou has imbedded herself with Inuyasha, and is seemingly following Arago's orders. Kagome and Sesshoumaru fight like children and come to the agreement of training in exchange for life…..

**Prisoners**

**Chapter 5 - Fallen Angel: Part 2**

Kagome tapped her finger on the cold stone floor of her cell. It had been one week since her deal with Sesshoumaru and things had been rather rough on the girl. He was a relentless teacher, demanding nothing less than perfection from her. Sesshoumaru had helped her to perfect forming shields in merely a day and her miko powers were already strengthening. She could feel the power flowing through her and was more in tune with the things around her. He had also taught her to use her powers to feel the things around her. She was already greatly in tune with his youki and could detect others when they walked by.

Her powers were not weak before, but with the guidance and grueling practice Sesshoumaru forced on her, they were growing rapidly. They trained for the better part of the day, stopping only to eat or when Kagome had exhausted her abilities. She would repeat exercises again and again until the Lord of the West was completely satisfied with her performance. He barely talked to her, preferring to send her deathly glares when she did not get something right and small nods of approval when she had done something well.

The only reason Kagome was not practicing right now was because guards had taken Sesshoumaru away for the "extraction." From the small amount of information she could pry from Sesshoumaru, they were collecting his poison. He would be allowed a few days to heal and for his poison to be re-supplied and then it would be extracted again. Arago's plans were still a mystery and Kagome was beginning to think Inuyasha would never come.

_I wish you would hurry up, Inuyasha! _Kagome silently seethed. She was beginning to think that she and Sesshoumaru would have to try to escape on their own if Inuyasha didn't come soon. She definitely wasn't ready to face anyone in combat.

She was shaken from her reverie by the large door creaking open and the heavy sound of a body landing on the cold stone. Picking up her bag of medical supplies, she began to tend Sesshoumaru's wounds as the door was slammed closed again. The inuyoukai did not move as Kagome gently cleaned his cuts and bandaged the wounded demon.

"Your wounds aren't as bad as they have been." Kagome smiled cheerfully. "You will heal in no time." She taped the last bandage over his cuts and put her supplies away.

"Hn." His only reply was a sound similar to approval.

Kagome rolled her eyes at the impassive response and leaned against the wall of the cell. What she wouldn't give for a nice, warm hot spring right now. Yes, Sesshoumaru was a very attractive, angelic, gorgeous being. But he was severely lacking in the people skills department.

_But it suits him. _Kagome thought. She would expect nothing less than regality from him.

"They are planning something." Sesshoumaru's deep voice again broke her thoughts.

"How do you know?" Kagome turned her attention towards him.

"My instincts are never wrong." Sesshoumaru informed her matter-of-factly. He watched the frustration flash across her face and sighed inwardly. "It involves you."

"Me?" Kagome asked. "What does he want with me? I still haven't figured that part out."

"I'm not sure." Sesshoumaru's brow was furrowed in concentration. He had a hunch as to what Arago was planning, but thought it wiser to keep the information from the girl. If he told her, she would do even more annoying crying and whining.

Kagome absently chewed on her bottom lip. She could tell Sesshoumaru was hiding something, thanks to all that practice tuning into youki. It was unsettling that he knew something but refused to tell her.

"You should practice." Sesshoumaru's smooth voice commanded. Kagome simply nodded and waited for her first assignment. Even when hurt and tired, he would not relent.

_Slave driver. _Kagome groaned to herself. It looked like she was in for another long training session.

* * *

Sango glared at the previous protector of the Shikon no Tama. The undead priestess was making herself quite comfortable in the arms of a certain hanyou.

"It's alright Kikyo. They know you only did those things because you were angry. We have all been deceived by Naraku." Inuyasha tried to comfort the distraught woman.

The past week had been very difficult for the demon slayer to take. Watching Inuyasha practically melt over the priestess' every word was making her sick. And she wasn't the only one being suspicious of the woman's sudden appearance.

"I just don't get it." Miroku spoke quietly to Sango.

"Can't he see it's a trap." Sango shook her head. It was all too familiar. Kikyo did the same kinds of things when Kagome was around, and was now using her absence to her advantage. Once the undead woman got some jewel shards, she would run off to give them to Naraku. She hadn't changed. She couldn't. Her entire rebirth was from hatred and nothing can change the unrest of a spirit.

"He's blinded by the woman she once was. It's sad really and I almost feel sorry for the guy." The monk sighed in half understanding.

"He doesn't even care about Kagome anymore." Sango growled out. "I won't let her just be replaced like this! She's like a sister to me. It kills me not knowing where she is or if she's okay." An arm snaked around her shoulders and for once stayed above her waist.

"I agree." Miroku spoke softly. "Maybe it would be best if we continued to search on our own." He suggested.

"You're talking about leaving Inuyasha and Kikyo?" She asked, receiving a nod in return. She had to give him some credit. It had been on her mind for days to get out on her own in search of Kagome. Now, she wouldn't have to go alone.

"So, what do you say?" Miroku stood up and offered Sango his un-cursed hand while flashing a charming smile.

"Let's go." Sango stood up and brushed the dirt from her outfit. Carefully lifting Shippo off of the blanket he slept on, she rolled up the various belongings they had set out earlier in the day. She quickly put them back into the giant yellow bag of Kagome's and prepared her own things. Her packing was interrupted by screams from the other side of the campfire.

"WHAT!" Inuyasha's voice shrieked.

"I said, Sango and I are taking Shippo and continuing the search for Kagome on our own." Miroku kept a straight face and tried to stay as calm as possible when one faced an angry hanyou.

"What the hell is this about!" Inuyasha was on his feet and in the monk's face. "Is this how you repay me for saving your ass in battle?" He asked, nearly foaming at the mouth.

"We're not the ones who replaced Kagome as if she were an unwanted toy!" Sango jumped in at this point, not worrying if her shouting woke Shippo up.

"What are you talking about? Kikyo offered to help us and she will." Inuyasha defended.

"Are you really that dense, Inuyasha?" Miroku scowled. "Have you not noticed what's been going on? We're heading in the opposite direction you last caught her scent. We haven't seen another living creature around. Can't you see she has lead us in the wrong direction?"

"Don't be stupid, Miroku! She can sense her own soul, you idiot! She's the one tracking her down and you're the ones always not wanting to follow." Inuyasha growled. Kikyo stood beside him, no emotion playing on her face. This was dangerous conversation and she did not want to reveal herself this soon in the game.

"I can't believe this." Sango shook her head in disgust. "Listen to yourself for once. You're too blind by your love for Kikyo that you can't see what her real intentions are. We're going to find Kagome and to hell with you and your dead bitch!"

_How perceptive. _Kikyo smiled inwardly at the demon slayer's comment. _That is exactly what I intend to do in the end. _

Sango stormed away from them, quickly followed by Miroku. A sleepy Shippo asked questions and received no answers as Sango picked him up along with the yellow backpack and climbed on the back of the transformed Kilala.

"Sorry it had to end like this." Miroku threw to his friend. It really was a shame that the group had to split up on such terms, but the monk knew that Inuyasha would come to his senses eventually and realize what was going on. He always did. Eventually.

"Yeah, well who needs ya!" Inuyasha shouted to the retreating figures. "You're just jealous you can't get a woman like this Miroku! Hope you all get eaten by a damn centipede." He crossed arms and pressed his ears to his head. Something they had said had struck a nerve.

"Don't worry Inuyasha. I will never leave you." Kikyo all too sweet voice reached his ears and his features softened.

"I know." He sighed and sat back down by the fire. His eyes glowed in the light and his mind wandered about everything that had happened, especially concerning the woman with him and the one still missing.

* * *

Kagome stood as still as she possibly could. Guards had taken her from the prison and brought her into a room just as grim as her holding quarters. Grey stone surrounded her and dim torches hung on the walls. Only one chair was present and she did not like the looks of it. Heavy leather straps covered the arms and legs, making it look more like a torture device. She had a bad feeling about this.

"My lady." Arago's chilling voice made her shiver. He entered the room with several guards. "I hope you have found my accommodations suitable."

Kagome cringed. She did not like this guy. Sure, he looked like an angel but anyone could see straight through this façade. He was the very incarnation of evil. It radiated off of him in waves that made her feel very threatened. His intentions were unclear, but they were undoubtedly malicious.

"The training is coming along I see." Arago's ice blue eyes caught her own in a piercing gaze.

_He knows? _Kagome panicked for a moment before she realized he would be stupid not to. Besides, he seemed oddly pleased to see she had strengthened.

"I hope you are not too tired today. You will need all of your strength for the absorption." Another cold smile graced his face and he reached out a clawed hand to her. Gently pulling on it, he led her to sit in the wooden chair positioned in the middle of the room.

"Absorption? What are you talking about?" Kagome tried to keep her fear in check. She couldn't fight him because that would be stupid. He had to be one hundred times stronger than her even with her miko powers.

"You will soon find out. Try to relax, it will be much more painless if you don't fight it." The glint in his eyes confirmed Kagome's suspicion. Something very bad was about to happen.

Kagome felt his clawed hands guide her own into the straps and secure them tightly onto the wooden arms of the chair. He drew the straps tight, careful not to hurt her but securing her tightly to the chair. She felt his hand trail from her knee to her ankle and strap her legs to the chair. Trembling, Kagome attempted to pull her wrists free from the binds.

"I warned you that struggling will only prolong your suffering." Arago sneered, revealing his sharpened canine teeth. Withdrawing from her, he reached towards one of the guards that had accompanied him and took a small glass from him.

Kagome eyed the glass suspiciously. It was about the size of a shot glass, but it wasn't the glass that bothered her. It was the glowing green liquid inside that made her stomach turn. Her mind spun as she made a connection.

"Sesshoumaru's poison?" She gasped aloud. Arago again smiled at her.

"Very perceptive. Can't put anything past you, can I?" He asked with a hint of humor. Kagome didn't find it funny.

"What do you want with me?" She growled out, suddenly feeling very threatened by him. His youki swirled with evil intent and she couldn't help but pick up the bad vibes coming from him and his devil like servants.

"You should be honored. You will be the gateway for my power." Arago stirred the glowing liquid and approached her.

"I don't know what you think you're doing, but you won't get away with it." Kagome told him defiantly, refusing to allow her fears to get the best of her. She could only imagine what he was planning on doing with that poison.

"Do you think the hanyou will come for you?" He laughed. "Why would he chase you when he has the undead priestess now?" He watched the emotions play across her face. Disbelief, sadness, and anger swirled beautifully in her chocolate colored eyes.

"You're lying." She accused, feeling the pin prick of tears in her eyes.

"Am I? Wouldn't he be here by now if he were searching for you?" He was beside her now, swirling the contents of the glass at her eye level. Kagome clenched her teeth, unwilling to believe what he was saying.

It made sense. She had waited day in and day out in that cramped cell with Inuyasha's half brother. There was no sign of battle near the castle, no shouting and wielding of swords. No Inuyasha. He wasn't coming. It was a revelation that hit Kagome like a ton of rocks. Inuyasha was not coming for her and she was completely at the mercy of this power thirsty demon.

"Now, let's begin." Arago set the glass to her lips. "Drink it quickly." He commanded, pressing the cold surface against her soft lips.

Kagome held fast. Was he crazy! He wanted her to drink the poison from the inutaisho. She had seen what that poison could do and there was no way she would drink it. She shut her mouth tight and refused to down it.

"Insolent wench." Arago grabbed her chin in his claws and forced the glass into her lips. Kagome clenched her teeth and grimaced as the glass pressed against her pearly whites. She tried to kick out at him, but the leather straps held her feed fast.

"I said drink." Arago's blue eyes became tinged with red and he grabbed her by the neck. Squeezing her neck hard enough to cut off her air supply. "You will do as you are told, miko." He snarled, letting his sharp claws cut into her sensitive flesh. Kagome tried to hold out, but she couldn't get enough air.

As hard as she tried, she couldn't keep her mouth from opening to gasp for air. As soon as her lips parted, the glass was tipped into her mouth and she felt the hot burn of the poison running down her throat. The hand holding her throat was gone but she her airway remained constricted. She couldn't breath and she could feel the poison trailing through her. It was hot and bitter, and the taste in her mouth was more vile than anything she had ever tasted.

Feeling the bile rise in her throat, she could not stop it as she spilled the contents of her stomach out onto the cold stone floor. Unfortunately, it missed the demon since he had already retreated to the safety of the doorway. Her vision was blurring and her entire body felt like it was on fire. She could feel the poison coursing through her veins, leaving a trail of pain behind it. Her body convulsed and her stomach clenched. She had never felt this kind of pain in her life.

"You're still not strong enough." Arago's voice echoed from the doorway. "That was but a taste of what is to come." He exited the room, leaving instructions that she was to be taken back to the cell immediately.

Kagome didn't even remember being freed from the chair or carried back to her prison. All she could feel was the pain. Her body was hot and she was disoriented. The guards tossed her ungracefully onto the cold stone floor of the cell and closed the door behind them.

Sesshoumaru glanced cautiously at the girl shaking on the floor. His suspicions were correct and he now knew they were in more trouble than he had first thought. He could smell his poison coursing through her body and did not have high hopes that she would live. Moving towards her, he pulled the girls shaking frame into his lap and felt her forehead.

"You're much too hot for a human." He growled out, feeling slightly annoyed that he would take such care of her. However, he did owe her for taking care of him and he was not one to not repay a favor. "You must concentrate, miko. Use your powers to overcome it."

The blank stare on the woman's face let him know she could not hear him. She was sweating and her body was racked with shakes. Her body convulsed in pain and she had tears coming from her eyes.

"He's crazy…" Kagome muttered incoherently. "…It hurts…" She tossed her head wildly to the side and the demon lord shook his head. Things did not look good for the miko. Consuming his poison was a death warrant and he knew she would not survive the night.

Despite his confidence in his poison's ability to kill, he wet a rag and placed it over her forehead to cool her fever. It was the least he could do to try and make her last hours comfortable. Sesshoumaru was not emotional, but he did respect the lives and deaths of courageous warriors. In his mind, this woman was a warrior. She had faced him in battle and did not waver in her determination. He could feel the power in her and the purity of her soul. She was a brave, if sometimes foolish being, and he would not ignore her in the last moments of her life.

It was sad really, seeing such an innocent being fade away right in front of him. Her once shining eyes were dull and swirled with green poison. He sighed softly and tried to soothe her incoherently ramblings. Her usually smooth and silky hair was limp and dull around her paler than usual face. Despite his dislike for humans, he had to admit he had never met one like her. She was beautiful by human standards and by most demon ones as well. Her aura usually shined brightly with the goodness in her heart and Sesshoumaru would never understand how this womancould have such good will towards others.Now, it was tainted with his own poison. Her body continued shaking and she still cried out occasionally in pain.

_It's a shame that a creature of such beauty would die such a humiliating death. _His golden eyes softened only a fraction as he looked down at the fevered girl in his lap. He tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear out of her sweat covered face and wet the rag on her forehead again to cool her fever. Letting out a sigh, he continued to keep watch over her. His eyes drifted over her face and he could not help but feel a little sorry for the fallen angel, broken and dying before him.

* * *

**WildcatYST: **Well? What do you think! Hehe. I've had so many plot bunnies running around in my head that I have barely had time for this fic. Don't worry, I'm still working on this one and I promise to get more chappies out soon.

Review? Please? Don't make me beg, because I will!


	6. Musings

**A/N:** AHHHHHHHH! Best Buy is evil incarnate, I swear! They had my computer for over three weeks! THREE WEEKS! I am so sorry for the delay of this fic. I promise that I'm not working on another fic until this one is done. And all of the reviews are great! I don't require a certain amount before I update or anything, I have just been delayed. Darn you Best Buy! (shakes fist and glares at the big yellow sign)

They are lucky I haven't sent Sesshoumaru in. That would teach them…

Anyways….here is the next chappie! Thanks for everyone who has sent their reviews. I'll work double time to get the next chapters out. Bye now! (wanders off to think of all the terrible ways Best Buy can meet its doom at Sesshoumaru's claws)

**Last time**: Arago forces Kagome to ingest some of the poison he has collected from Sesshoumaru. The demon lord doesn't believe she will make it through the night, but attempts to make her comfortable….what happens in the morning? Find out below!

**Prisoners**

By WildcatYST

**Chapter 6 – Musings**

_Kagome ran quickly down the steps of her school. She had left her books at home again and her father was coming to drop them off before he went to work. She saw his car pull up in the parking lot and she ran to the window. _

"_Sorry dad." Kagome apologized. She had a bad habit of forgetting her school work and he often had to drop by to get them to her. _

"_Here you go." Her father handed her the book she was missing. "Don't worry about it, sweetie. It's on my way to work anyways." He smiled at her. _

_Kagome had her father's smile. But she also had his eyes. Everyone in the family would remind her of the resemblance they shared, and she was proud of it. He was a very respected doctor and she knew that he worked hard for his family. In fact, his family was the most important thing to him. _

"_Don't forget to get your brother after class. Your mom has some errands to run so you'll both have to walk home." He told her. _

"_Alright daddy." Kagome gave him a kiss on the cheek and waved goodbye as she ran back up the stairs of her school. She turned around to watch his car leave as she always did. _

_The car pulled out of the parking lot and approached the stoplight on her school's street. She saw him wave out the car window as he drove through the green light. Her cheerful smile soon turned into a horrified scream. _

_A large truck came speeding through the intersection and slammed into the side of her father's car. She watched in shock as the small sedan flipped over several times as the force of the truck barreled into it. Kagome dropped her books and sprinted down the steps, running towards the sight of the wreckage. She scrambled across the street as terrified motorists slammed on their brakes to avoid hitting the girl and the wreckage. _

"_Daddy!" Kagome shouted, climbing through the broken window of the car, which had landed upside down. _

_She reached her own hand out to his, which was covered in blood. His head had a large gash in it and he hung limply in the seat belt that kept him suspended in the vehicle. Kagome grasped his hand and prayed that he was alright. _

"_Kagome?" Her father's voice was weak and he opened one eye to look at her. _

"_I'm here dad." She replied, squeezing his hand softly for support. The faint sound of sirens blared in the distance and she knew it would only be a few moments for the ambulance to get here. "Don't worry, help is coming." She tried to reassure herself as much as him. Tears gathered in her eyes as she saw the carnage left behind from the bone crunching impact of the cars. _

_She struggled to unbuckle his safety belt and with the help of motorists that had gathered to assist, she pulled him from the crushed car. She pulled his head into her lap and kept a hold on his hand. _

"_Kagome…" Her father whispered her name. "Promise to take care of your brother." He managed to choke out. _

"_No." Kagome whispered. "Don't talk like that. You're going to be fine." She felt hot tears roll down her cheek. _

"_Promise me Kagome." He insisted, squeezing her hand for emphasis that this was important to him. _

"_I promise." Kagome gave in, wiping her tears with her sleeve. _

"_Good." He answered, his breath ragged. "Don't blame yourself, Kagome. It's not your fault." His breathing slowed and he looked up at her with the eyes she inherited from him. "Tell your mother and brother that I love them." He struggled to breath now. Kagome could hear the ambulance pulling up and people coming out. _

"_The paramedics are here, dad. You'll be okay now." Kagome looked down at him as tears continued to roll down her face. _

"_I love you, Kagome." He squeezed her hand again, and then his hand went limp. _

"_No." Kagome shook her head in disbelief. "NO!" She screamed, not able to believe that the eyes that once sparkled with happiness were now staring at her lifelessly. _

_Paramedics swarmed around her and attempted to pull the girl away as they checked her father's vitals. They rushed to revive him, but Kagome would not let go of his hand. _

"_Daddy!" She screamed loudly as everything swarmed around her. Men were trying to save his life, but she knew he was gone. Her father had known he would not survive the extensive wounds and internal bleeding he had undoubtedly suffered. Still, she was swallowed by her grief. _

_Kagome curled up in the middle of the street with the chaos of trying to save Dr. Higurashi's life surrounded her. She buried her face into her knees and rocked herself back and forth as she cried. _

* * *

Sesshoumaru dabbed at the forehead of the miko in his lap with a cold cloth. She had calmed at some point in the night. Despite his assurance that she would die, she had not. It even seemed as if she was fighting off the poison. He was not one to be surprised, but this was an exception.

_Perhaps it is her miko blood that fights against my poison. _He thought to himself as he listened to the even breaths her small frame was taking in. Sesshoumaru knew what Arago wanted with her and he was certain she would die in the process. If the girl didn't succumb to the poison, then she would die once Arago took her life to claim the power that legend claimed it would produce.

Kagome's body suddenly stiffened and her breathing became labored. Sesshoumaru watched as the girl became fitful in her sleep, but it was not from the poison she had consumed. Instead, she appeared to be dreaming.

"No." A whisper escaped from the young miko's lips. Sesshoumaru's golden eyes narrowed slightly as he examined the girl.

She was an odd creature, that he was sure of. Her bravery is battle was either caused by an unselfish wish to protect her friends or plain stupidity. She had even stood up to the Lord of the West on a number of occasions. It wasn't everyday that Sesshoumaru faced an opponent completely unafraid of him, and this one was a human girl to boot. Over the last few days in the cell, he had come to think of her as an ally.

_She could prove to be useful. _Sesshoumaru thought as he pondered what to do with her once they escaped. Her powers had grown considerably with the meager training he insisted she undertake. He could only imagine the possibilities if she were to truly train her abilities. Not to mention, she could be a useful tool in gaining his father's sword from his half-wit brother.

"I promise." Kagome's soft voice floated to him. It appeared that she was having a nightmare. Her head tossed lightly in his lap as her entire body trembled.

_She is also able to detect the shards of the Shikon jewel. Perhaps she is of some value to this Sesshoumaru. _The inuyoukai thought. He would never use the shards to add to his power. Sesshoumaru was strong enough and would not lower himself to using the tainted trinket to gain physical power. But, it could be useful in negotiations with the other youkai lords. If he were to possess his father's sword and the Shikon jewel, he would be a force to be reckoned with. Not that he already wasn't.

Sesshoumaru had heard the whispers surrounding his acquisition of the human child, Rin. He was certain that uprisings might follow should his enemies gain favor from some of his current allies. They assumed he was following in his father's footsteps, but he was not. Rin was merely a fascination, a passing amusement that merely entertained him. He would be able to squelch such rebellious talk with the two items he was now plotting to obtain. The miko would either cooperate by choice or by force, it mattered not to him.

"Daddy!" Kagome screamed. The sound was ear piercing and caused a faint scowl to appear on the youkai's face. He grabbed her roughly by the shoulder and shook hard.

"Wake up, miko." He demanded, watching as her eyes opened suddenly and she sat upright. A groan quickly followed and she laid back down into his lap. A few moments of silence passed as Sesshoumaru glared down at the woman child and she squeezed her eyes shut in pain.

"I feel like I've been run over by a truck." Kagome moaned, curling into a fetal position as she tried to ease her pain.

"What is this truck you speak of?" Sesshoumaru's cold voice made chills run up Kagome's spine.

"Nothing. I'm just talking nonsense." Kagome insisted, hoping her half hearted cover up wouldn't be challenged. Sesshoumaru appeared to shrug his shoulders, then proceeded to ignore her.

_Great. Another day with the ice prince. _Kagome groaned again. Things just weren't going well for her lately. She sighed as the inuyoukai pushed her roughly off his lap and onto the cold floor. She immediately missed his warmth.

"How long have I been out?" Kagome asked, rubbing her sore muscles to sooth away the ache.

"For the better part of the day." Sesshoumaru answered.

"I feel sick." Kagome groaned and wrapped her arms around her midsection. She could still feel the faint traces of poison coursing through her body, but the majority had been taken care of by her purifying powers while she slept.

"My poison is strong." Sesshoumaru had the faintest smirk on his face, making Kagome roll her eyes and sigh.

_He and Inuyasha are so much alike. _Kagome immediately felt her heart sink. _Where are you Inuyasha? _She sighed again and leaned against the cold stone of the cell. Her hands worked over her sore muscles and she tried to hang on to what little hope she had left that her friends were coming for her.

* * *

Kikyo looked up at Inuyasha, who was perched on a low hanging branch in the tree she was leaning against. They had stopped to rest after the day's long journey. The undead priestess could tell something was bothering the hanyou in the tree. His mind had been preoccupied all day long.

_He is still thinking of my damn reincarnation. _Kikyo seethed. She had done many things to keep his mind off the annoying girl. She was there under the pretense of helping Inuyasha find the miko, but her true plan was to keep him occupied long enough for Arago to finish his ritual. Once he was done with the girl from the future, Kikyo could have her soul back.

_Still, I do not like this Arago. His is not to be trusted. _Kikyo glanced back up at the man she had once loved. No long did such petty feelings run through her. Her fake body could only harbor hatred and regret. But some small part of her former self still resided in her clay body. And it was that part of her that made her feel a tinge of guilt for betraying the hanyou in the trees above.

* * *

Well, it's a kind of short chapter. It's more of a break between some action that will take place next time. Let me know what you think! Sorry again for the delay. I'll get the next chapter out as soon as possible. Bye for now!

WildcatYST


	7. Hope

**A/N**: Sorry again. It seems like I've made a habit of getting chapters out late. Anyways, I hope you all like this chapter. Let me know what you think. I really enjoy reviews. I didn't get many for last chapter … So make me happy and send reviews!

**Disclaimer**: Oh, did I mention I do not own Inuyasha? Well, now you know the horrible truth. I do not own Inuyasha or any characters associated therein. Yes…it is a sad thing…

**Prisoners**

By: WildcatYST

**Last Chapter**: Kagome dreams of her father and awakes in the lap of Sesshoumaru. She survives the poisoning, only to be put through even more training by Sesshoumaru. How much longer can she last?

**Chapter 7 - Hope **

Sango wiped the sweat from her brow as she set the large yellow backpack down on the ground. It was extremely hot outside, and riding on Kirara had provided only a little breeze to cool her heated skin. The small group had landed for the day and decided to set up camp. Miroku was currently scouting out the area around them.

"Any sign of her?" Sango called while watching the monk inspect the ground. They had landed back where they had been ambushed and Kagome was stolen.

"Nothing yet." Miroku responded. Night was approaching and he knew that the search would have to be put on hold until tomorrow. However, something about the area put him on edge. He felt his holy powers tingling but he could not quite figure out why.

"We will search tomorrow after we rest." Sango announced as she stirred the ramen Kagome had taught her to make. It was difficult coming to terms with the fact that your best friend, who you considered a sister, was held captive by the enemy. She could even be dead! But Sango would not let that thought dampen her spirit. Instead, she firmed her resolve to find her friend and return her safely to the group.

"I miss Kagome." Shippo sniffled a little while picking at his ramen. The usually rambunctious child had grown quiet in his adopted mother's absence.

"We all do." Sango patted his head in an attempt to comfort him. Eating the remains of her meal, she began to clean the camp until an all too familiar presence made itself known.

"HENTAI!" Sango shouted while smacking Miroku over the head with her large boomerang. Miroku, who was now laying on the ground unconscious, had a large smile plastered across his face.

"Will he ever learn?" Shippo shook his head and smiled at Sango.

"I'll probably have to remove his hand before he stops groping me, the lecher." She seethed.

Shippo smiled to himself. He had seen the blush rise on the demon exterminator's cheeks at the monk's touch. They liked each other, but both were too afraid to admit it. He wondered how long it would be until they admitted their feelings. Kagome would often make comments to Shippo about how cute the couple was or happy she would be when they finally got together.

_Kagome. _The kit looked up into the night sky and felt tears well up into his eyes. _I hope you're okay. _He sniffled again before curling up next to Kirara. He could only hope that Kagome was still alive to see their two friends finally admit their feelings.

* * *

It had been one week since Kagome's initial exposure to Sesshoumaru's poison. Daily trips to see Arago had improved her tolerance and she was now up to five of the small glasses. Her stomach still did twists every time she ingested the vile stuff, but she would always wake up in the lap of the dangerous taiyoukai she shared a cell with. At night, the demon lord would be taken to the extraction chambers and drained of his poisons. The miko would take care of him, and the roles were reversed when she was taken by day to drink the green substance. 

Today was like the seven days before, and Kagome was waking from her groggy, poison induced slumber. After being emptied from the youkai's lap and tossed to the floor, Kagome turned her blue grey eyes on him.

"This is getting old." She sighed, rubbing her sore muscles to relieve the ache.

"Indeed." Sesshoumaru answered stoically.

A moment of compatible silence passed between them. In the days Kagome had been trapped, she had formed a small bond with the demon now staring at her with his head cocked to the side, as if inspecting her. He was a good teacher, always pushing her to do better. He was hard, but always offered praise where it was earned. He even had a sense of humor when they bantered for lack of anything better to do.

_He's just a big puppy. _Kagome thought, grinning from ear to ear. _A little vicious and totally hot…but a puppy none the less._

"Do you find me amusing?" Sesshoumaru cocked a silver eyebrow at her delicately, which just made her break out in a fit of giggles. After calming down, she put on her best straight face.

"I find nothing about you funny." She humphed and crossed her arms, trying her best to put up a good front.

"Is that why you were making that awful noise you call laughter?" He insisted, arching his eyebrow even higher.

Kagome bit her lip in an attempt to keep from giggling at him.

"It is not awful." She almost pouted. "You wish I paid that much attention to you." Grinning at him like a Cheshire cat, she almost laughed when she heard a sound very similar to Inuyasha's 'keh' escape his lips.

"As much as I wish for the sky to fall." He decided to ignore her for the time being and signaled it by turning his head away from her.

_Infuriating woman. _He snorted to himself. Sesshoumaru had been training her especially hard for the last week in an attempt to get her strong enough to attempt what he had planned for them. It would be a difficult task, but with a little luck they would be able to make it out of the stronghold now holding them captive.

"So, are we going to train today?" Kagome asked, not especially liking the idea. She was a bit drained from earlier and was still feeling slight queasy.

"No." Sesshoumaru replied calmly, almost smirking at the look of absolute shock on the woman's face. Almost.

"What?" Kagome gasped. "You mean Sesshoumaru, almighty slave driver, is not going to force me into hours of mind numbing practices? The world must be coming to an end."

"Do not mock me, onna." He growled, but was slightly concerned to see that it had absolutely no affect on the miko in front of him.

"You scare me, you really do." Kagome smiled all too sweetly. She could have sworn her rolled his eyes at the last comment.

"You will rest and regain your strength." Sesshoumaru ordered calmly. "You will need it tomorrow."

"What happens tomorrow?" Kagome asked, her cheery countenance turning serious.

"We will be escaping." The Western Lord stated matter of factly. "Now eat and rest. I will wake you when it's time."

Not one to argue with a day off of work, Kagome consumed the little bit of food that had been shoved into the cell. If they really were going to make a break for it, then she would need all of her strength to get through tomorrow. Sighing to herself, she tired to find a comfortable spot on the hard floor of the cell.

After several minutes of unsuccessfully sleeping, she opened her eyes and sat back up. Casting a glance at the demon sitting across from her, her mind began to wonder.

The golden necklace was still over his head, and she still had not found a way to remove it. With it on him, he wasn't exactly weak, but he wasn't his normal self either. She wondered how that might come into play tomorrow when they escaped. Sighing again, she let her mind wander more.

_How did he get in here? And where did that arm come from? _She eyed him carefully, as if looking at him long enough might reveal the answer to her questions. When the object of her scrutiny spoke, she almost jumped in surprise.

"I believe you are beginning to drool." Sesshoumaru drawled, making sure to let her know that he was mocking her.

"I was not staring at you." Kagome insisted, her face turning a light shade of pink at the accusation. At Sesshoumaru's raised eyebrow, she nearly growled in frustration. "I was just thinking to myself."

He merely shrugged his shoulders, as if he didn't care.

_Damn that arrogant jerk! _Kagome thought, seething inwardly at his calm appearance.

"I was wondering how you got that arm back, because I clearly remember it being chopped off." She nearly shouted, her anger getting the best of her. Sometimes, Sesshoumaru just knew exactly how to push her buttons and she didn't like it.

Sesshoumaru looked over at the arm that was once severed by his half brother. It had been a painful blow to his pride to return to his castle minus one arm and without his father's sword. However, an opportunity had presented itself and he had taken it.

"An advisor of mine recommended a certain demon that was known for his intimate knowledge of healing and spells." Sesshoumaru explained with the same calm mask on his face. "I sought him out and he delivered what he promised."

Flexing his restored arm, Sesshoumaru clenched his teeth at the memory. Had he been a little more weary, he would have known that something was amiss. But he let his vanity get the better of him and had fallen into the trap laid by his captor.

"Oh." Kagome answered, taking in the explanation. "So, who was it?" She couldn't help the curiosity from getting the question out. It's not like she would know the youkai responsible, but she liked to listen the demon lord talk. Not that she would ever admit it.

"Arago." The name left his lips as it were venom. "The spell put me at a weakened state and his followers ambushed me with their blinding powder."

"Oh, that's terrible!" Kagome let the distress show in her voice. If it's one thing she couldn't stand, it was deceit. Naraku was guilty of it and so was this new demon bent on torturing her for some twisted legend. "He'll get what he deserves Sesshoumaru, I promise." She said with determination in her voice.

It was strange to hear a promise coming from a human. Sesshoumaru was not used to people offering such words to him. His soldiers obeyed his every order from fear or reverence. His advisors were to scared to speak so openly to him. But this little woman spoke a promise she seemed hell bent to keep. Never had anyone, let alone a naïve woman child who followed his half witted brother around, ever spoken such a vehement promise to him.

"That he will miko. I will see to it personally." He clenched his clawed hand into a fist and thought of the many ways he could maim and torture the back stabbing demon who held him captive.

A few moments of silence passed between them and left Sesshoumaru to contemplate the strange relationship forming between him and the human miko. She was annoying, mouthy, and often tried to get a rise out of him on purpose. Yet, he found her easy to talk to and dare he say fun to argue with. She had a quick wit and a disposition that was easy to get along with. Most of their arguments had been attempts to pass the time and see who could come up with the best insults.

Of course, the Lord of the Western Lands would never admit that he found the least bit of comfort in the presence of this human woman. Once they were free from this prison, things would change. She would be his to use against his brother to obtain the sword that rightfully his and a tool to defeat Naraku with. That was all she would be…or so he told himself.

"Sesshoumaru?" Kagome's quiet, melodic voice broke Sesshoumaru's thoughts. His eyes fell on hers and a moment passed between them before she continued. "Why did you want your arm back so much? I mean, you were still a formidable fighter without it, so why the need for it?"

Sesshoumaru mulled the question over in his mind. Why indeed? For some reason, it pleased him to know that she still thought he was strong even with the loss of his arm. And he was strong. But the reason he sought the return of his arm so eagerly was not for the sake of battle. He could still defeat any enemy who dared to cross him without it, but his reasons lay beyond the battlefield.

Kagome stared at the stoic lord she had come to think of as a friend. His eyes shimmered with memory as it seemed that he was recalling why he had sought his arm so. She thought that he would not answer her until his deep voice drew her eyes up to his golden ones.

"Rin wanted me to hug her." Sesshoumaru answered, his golden orbs locking with her own blue gray ones.

Kagome's face held a warm smile as she gazed at the youkai lord. It seemed that she was right. He DID in fact have a heart behind that cold exterior.

"Now rest." He commanded with a bit of gentleness in his voice. Kagome did not argue, but lay herself down on the floor.

Her smile lingered as she attempted to capture the illusive creature that was sleep. It made her happy knowing that he had shared that little bit of information with her. So, Rin had wanted a hug from him. Not a pat on the head or a one armed squeeze, but a real embrace. And the youkai lord wanted to grant that wish.

_There's hope for you yet, Sesshoumaru. _Kagome let another smile plaster across her face as she faded into a restful slumber.

* * *

**WildcatYST**: Well? Reviews? Pretty please with a naked Sesshoumaru on top! OoOoOo…that sounds nice, doesn't it? 

Anyways, I hope you guys liked that chapter. Oh, I used blue gray for Kagome's eyes because that is what is in some of the manga and such.

So hit the button below and let me know what you thought of this last chapter!


	8. Prison Break

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Inuyasha. Blah blah blah. You know the drill.

**A/N**: Well, another chapter is out. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter as much as the others. Let me know what you think!

**Last Time**: Miroku, Sango, and Shippo are closing in on Kagome's trail. The secret of Sesshoumaru's new arm is revealed! An escape plan is being formed by Sesshoumaru and now the time has come to execute it.

**Prisoners**

**By WildcatYST**

**Chapter 8 – Prison Break**

Kagome eyed the taiyoukai suspiciously. He had a plan and had yet to share it with her. She didn't like the fact that he was keeping secrets or the rude way he was ignoring her. How was she supposed to help if she didn't even know what was happening? Her poison consumption was done for the day and she was allowed a few hours of sleep before being nudged awake by an irritated looking dog demon.

"What do we do now?" Kagome asked, anxious to get out of their prison.

"We wait." He said simply. His arms were crossed over his chest in a very Inuyasha-like fashion.

Sighing in exasperation, she continued thinking of ways to pass the time. She kept waiting for some kind of explanation from Sesshoumaru, but non came. He seemed content to just sit there and leave her in the dark. Kagome watched as he flexed his claws, as if he were testing them. The demon was waiting for something and she had no clue what it was.

"Get up." Sesshoumaru commanded. It seemed that he had finally found whatever it was he was waiting for.

"Finally!" Kagome sighed in exasperation. "What's the plan?" She asked.

"I suppose your little human mind could handle it." The slightest smirk tugged at the corner of his lips at the glare from the human girl. They had gotten rather good at bantering like this in their spare time. After all, there wasn't much to do in a dungeon except talk.

"Well then, o mighty evil one, do share." Kagome rolled her eyes, but didn't miss the amused look she received from the taiyoukai.

"The guard will be bringing food soon. I have regained some of my strength and they will be no match for me. And you…" He paused for dramatic effect and almost grinned when the girl in question huffed in annoyance. "You will lure him inside."

Kagome blinked at him. Sesshoumaru blinked back. She swallowed the lump in her throat. He let his fangs glint at her with the mocking smirk on his face.

"You want me to do what?" Kagome nearly shrieked. "How am I supposed to do that? Bat my eyelashes and hike up my skirt?" A deep rumble greeted her ears and she fumed even more when she realized that he was laughing at her.

"Once you lure him in, I will dispatch of him and we will make our escape. There are fewer guards at night and our escape will go unnoticed until morning." He continued with his explanation as if the tiny woman was not glaring daggers and clenching her fists in front of him.

Her death glare was met with a calm expression. She couldn't believe his insinuation that she would use her feminine attributes to put his plan into action.

"How am I going to get him in here?" She ground out through clenched teeth.

"You're an intelligent girl. You can figure something out." Sesshoumaru said in a mocking tone.

"I can't believe you!" Kagome fumed again.

_That jerk! I should have known he would be this way about it. Did he just call me smart? Was that a compliment? Or was he being sarcastic? Stupid dog demons and their stupid stupidity! _

"Be prepared. He's coming." Sesshoumaru sat back down on the ground beside the door.

_Okay. Think girl, think! You can do this without making a complete ass of yourself._

The sound of wood scraping against stone was heard as the guard slid a plate of food into the cell. Kagome's heart skipped a beat and her mind went into overload. She had to do something fast before he walked away. Not to mention, the flare from a pair of golden eyes was not helping to calm her nerves.

"Wait!" Kagome called out in desperation. She had to think of something fast. The guard's footsteps halted.

"What is it, ningen filth?" The dark demon snarled, his voice as rough and grated as his looks.

"It's Sesshoumaru. He's hurt." Kagome stuttered out, not missing the narrowing of golden eyes from the corner. A rough chuckled from the pitch black guard met her ears, though she couldn't see him past the door.

"Of course he is. He's a prisoner here." The demon stated matter of factly.

"No, something is really wrong with him." Kagome's voice rose as she pleaded with the guard. "He isn't breathing!" She crossed her fingers and prayed that the guard would listen.

"And what concern of it is mine if the dog dies?" The dark demon questioned.

"Arago needs him. Just think of how angry he would be if he found out the key to his success died." Kagome waited a moment for the information to sink it. She hoped the guard wouldn't be smart enough to question how the taiyoukai was hurt so badly, but she wasn't going to bring it up. After a long pause, she pleaded in a soft voice. "Please, he needs help."

She heard the guard grumble and the jingle of keys as he presumably went to unlock the door. The click of the lock turning and the grating of the door against the rock floor made Kagome cringe.

"Where is he?" The guard demanded, stepping into the cell.

The next few seconds passed by so quickly that Kagome almost missed them completely. In one swift movement, Sesshoumaru closed the door from his place beside it. He had positioned himself so that the guard would enter the room fully to find him. Sesshoumaru lunged at the guard with speed that surpassed anything Kagome had seem and was on the guard in an instant.

The black demon let out a strangled cry that was quickly silenced by a clawed hand around his neck. With one quick twist, Sesshoumaru snapped his neck and dropped his lifeless body to the ground.

Kagome gasped in shock as the lifeless, red eyes of the guard turned to her with a vacant expression. She cringed again at the gruesome death.

"Ugh…you could have pointed him that way." She complained, feeling a bit queasy. She always hated death scenes.

"Quiet." Sesshoumaru hissed, searching the dead demon's body for the set of keys. He quickly found them and stashed them away. "Follow me." He ordered, turning to leave the cell. "Now."

The forcefulness of his voice prompted Kagome into action. She quickly followed him out of the door and down the hallway. The golden chain that suppressed his youki did not seem to have too much of an affect on his purely physical strengths, and Kagome was grateful for that. She followed Sesshoumaru as he prowled down the dark corridors of the castle. He led her up a set of stairs and she halfway wondered how he knew where to go.

Sesshoumaru held his arm out in front of her to halt her and pushed against her chest until she was against the wall. Kagome peeked around his broad frame to see two shadows approaching from around the corner. Sesshoumaru flexed his claws and Kagome gulped.

Two guards came around the corner at a leisurely pace. Sesshoumaru smirked cruelly as he struck out at one, slicing him cleanly through the throat to prevent him from crying out. Blood gushed from the wound and the body fell to the floor. The second demon was reaching for the small pouch that undoubtedly held the blinding poison used on the taiyoukai.

Sesshoumaru growled viciously and slashed out at the offending demon. He grabbed the demon's left arm and twisted it behind him, snapping the bones in the process. The demon tried to cry out, but Sesshoumaru's clawed hand came shooting through his chest, robbing him of air and life. The dead body of the second guard fell to the ground, his blood adding to the already red blanketed floor. Sesshoumaru pulled his hand from the chest of the demon and looked at Kagome.

"The blood will draw the others. We must hurry." He then turned and walked away. Kagome blinked at the gore before her. She hated the sight of blood and this display was both morbid and disturbing on many levels. Tip toeing over the blood splattered ground, she hurried after the retreating figure

Sesshoumaru picked up the pace towards freedom. He delicately sniffed the air, scenting where the air was less damp and more fresh. The fresh air would undoubtedly lead them to a doorway to the outside.

_Well, this wasn't so hard. _Kagome thought as the sight of a door framed in moonlight reached her vision. _I was expecting more of a fight. _She smiled happily and was about to proclaim her happiness when a blurred black figure slammed into Sesshoumaru's side, sending him sprawling into a wall.

"Going somewhere, dog?" A deep voice questioned. Kagome's eyes widened when the large frame of Toshi registered.

Sesshoumaru gave a feral growl and launched himself from the ground with his claws bared. Toshi blocked the blow with his wooden spear and attempted a round house kick to Sesshoumaru's head. The taiyoukai deftly blocked the blow and slashed his claws against Toshi's chest. The armor on the demon's chest cracked under the pressure of the lord of the west. Sesshoumaru snorted in disgust.

"Pathetic." He said stoically. "You will fall to me, hell demon." The dog demon reached for the demon's throat.

Toshi grinned wickedly and waited for his next assault. Kagome watcher in horror as the two demons exchanged blows. Without his poison, Sesshoumaru could not as easily defeat the demon.

_I have to do something. _Kagome thought as she watched the two battle it out. Both were already bleeding and she was afraid that Sesshoumaru may not win this if it lasted much longer.

"Watch out!" Kagome shouted as she saw Toshi reach for the blinding poison. Both demons looked up at her as if noticing her for the first time. It seemed like they had both forgotten she was there. Sesshoumaru blocked the blow intended for him, but was thrown into the rock wall. A handful of green dust followed him to the wall as Toshi threw the blinding powder into the eyes of demon lord.

Toshi grinned at Kagome and advanced on her. Kagome froze, feeling completely helpless under his scrutiny. He reached out to grab her and her training went into effect. She thrust her hand forward and released a bit of her aura towards him. The demon hissed as his flesh was seared by her purifying powers.

"You'll pay for that." Toshi snarled. His clawed hand shot towards her but it never made contact.

Silver hair came into Kagome's vision and it took her a moment to figure out what happened. Sesshoumaru had slammed Toshi against the wall and the dark demon was knocked out on the floor.

"We leave." Sesshoumaru reached out blindly for her. Kagome took his hand in her own and followed his figure towards the door. "Get on." Sesshoumaru bent down towards the ground and signaled for Kagome to climb on. She did as she had done with Inuyasha a hundred times and climbed onto the demon's back.

"You're blind, Sesshoumaru. How will we make it now?" She asked, her voice mirroring the concern etched on her face.

"You will be my eyes, Kagome." His voice was low and soft as he attempted to reassure her. "I trust you." He added. Kagome squeezed his shoulder reassuringly and nodded.

"Alright. Straight ahead." Kagome was shocked when the wind blew by her face as he barged through the door, tearing it to pieces as he reached it.

"Left." Kagome directed him to avoid hitting a tree. She held onto his shoulders for dead life as she attempted to guide him through the blurring scenary.

"Right." She shouted . "You're other right!" She screamed louder, earning a warning growl from the lord of the western lands. The forest blurred past them as Kagome continued shouting out directions.

"Left. Straight. Left. Jump!" Kagome shrieked as they took to the air. Sesshoumaru landed gracefully on the ground in a small clearing and he halted his movements.

"There should be enough distance between us now." Sesshoumaru set the girl back down onto the ground.

"I thought we were going to run into that last tree stump." Kagome laughed half heartedly. "That was a rush." She took a moment to catch her breath and examine her surroundings. "What now?" She asked, looking into the vacant, unseeing eyes of the taiyoukai.

"We will return to my castle." Sesshoumaru stated matter of factly.

"What? You can't even see!" Kagome protested. "And I have no idea where we are, let alone how to get back to your castle. We've got to…"

Her sentence was cut off as the wind was knocked out of her as a hard elbow connected with her stomach. The world tumbled around her as she fell to the forest floor. The sound of flesh tearing and beasts snarling met her eyes. Through watered eyes, she looked up to see Arago himself standing above Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru felt the sword stuck through his shoulder and found Arago's own claws embedded into his other shoulder. A light blue glow surrounded the claws and he realized that Arago was injecting him with poison. Sesshoumaru snarled again, but was too weak to fight. The poison was slowing him down and his already injured body was giving in.

_Curse this damn weakening necklace. _Sesshoumaru growled on the inside. If he was at his full strength, this demon would be nothing. His nose crinkled in distaste as he smelled the tell tale soot and ash smell of the demon's serving Arago.

"Shall we punish him, my lord?" One asked. Arago chuckled deeply.

"Return him to his cell. Bring the girl to me." With a sweep of his golden hair, he was on his way back towards the castle.

Kagome groaned somewhere to his left, but she was quickly carried away. Sesshoumaru placed his stoic mask on his face and allowed himself to be escorted back to the castle and into the cell. There was not much else he could do in this state. Freedom was sweet, but short lived.

* * *

It was several hours before the door to the prison was opened. Sesshoumaru looked up with unseeing eyes as a pair of footsteps echoed in the chamber. A loud thud was heard as Kagome's body was dropped to the stone floor. The guard exited and locked the door behind him.

He listened intently to the ragged breaths the girl took. It was obvious that she was in pain. She did not move or speak, which told him that she was probably unconscious. He slid his hand against the rock flooring until his clawed hand touched flesh. He gently traced his hand over her arm and was alarmed by the amount of moisture he found there.

The smell of her blood permeated the air and he could feel it against his palm as he physically inspected her. Drawing her lithe form into her lap, he realized that she had many cuts and gashes all over her body.

_How dare they. _He thought as he ran his hand up her arm and to her neck. _They punished her and left me untouched. _He tilted her face towards him and sniffed out a cut along her cheek. It would not be long before she bled out if her wounds were not tended to. However, without his sight he did not trust himself to clean and wrap them with the correct salves. So, he did the only thing he could do. Using his nose to find her still bleeding wounds, he settled over the one on her left cheek.

His rough tongue snaked out to lick her wound. He traced the slices and gashes on her skin with his tongue to clean them and prevent infection. His lack of eyesight would not allow him to treat her wounds and his only option was his antibody filled saliva. Tracing the cut on her other cheek, Sesshoumaru settled against the wall to continue his ministrations. He gently traced her cuts, trying to ignore the way she gasped and whimpered from the slightly stinging touch.

It was going to be a long night.

* * *

**WildcatYST**: Well, what do you think? There's more to come soon. Let me know what you think. It took me forever to get this chapter out, so I hope it meets the standards. Buh Bye! 


	9. Freedom

**Disclaimer: **I don't own them. I just use them.

**A/N: **My deepest apologies to everyone! A severe case of writer's block has made this last chapter hell to get out. Finally, I have some inspiration and the story should flow faster now. Thanks for all of the reviews. I'm looking forward to seeing what you all have to say about this chapter. Enjoy.

**Prisoners**

**Chapter 9**

**Freedom**

**By: WildcatYST**

Sango grit her teeth as another youkai fell before her. The search party had tracked their friend all the way back to the clearing she disappeared in. Once they began searching deeper into the thick forest, the black youkai had attacked. Miroku was alternating between his wind tunnel and staff so quickly the demons had little time to react. The demon slayer smirked as she threw her weapon at two more of the youkai. With the last of the youkai down Sango wiped her sweating brow.

"We're getting closer. These demons are trying to keep us from something." Miroku commented between breaths. Shippo popped out from behind the bushes he was hiding in and continued into the forest.

"Come on slowpokes! We've got to find Kagome." He hurried through the recently used trail towards the source of the youkai. Sango and Miroku exchanged grins and took off running after the kitsune.

* * *

A few days had passed since the escape attempt and Sesshoumaru was not happy. He was still being drained and Kagome was being forced to consume his poisons. Currently, the two were sitting across from each other trying to think of a better plan than last time. 

"Hmm…maybe we can ask nicely and he'll let us go?" Kagome pondered, her face scrunched in concentration.

"Your humor is not appreciated." Sesshoumaru ground out. He could think of no way out besides trying the same plan again. Kagome had not helped and was spending a lot of time sleeping in recovery from her poison appointments. The demon lord rubbed his temples to try to clear his mind.

_We clearly cannot escape when I am weakened like this. The necklace is hindering me. _His clawed hand rubbed the golden chain encircling his neck. The piece of jewelry suppressed his youkai abilities and left him much weaker than he was used to being. If only he could remove it then escaping would be simple.

"I wonder what they are doing." Kagome's inquiry broke through his chain of thought. She was standing at the door with her hands clasped around the small, barred window. Her blue eyes watched with interested as another pair of demons ran past the door. "That's the forth group that has passed through here in the last hour." She huffed, turning to take her place against the wall again.

"They seem to be running in formations." Sesshoumaru commented. He had noticed as pairs and groups of armed soldiers ran. They were in step with each other and seemed to be in quite the hurry.

"Why would a secret, hidden castle run drills?" Kagome thought. It seemed strange to her that a fortress that was supposedly hidden would need to keep its soldiers on their toes like this.

"It's not a drill." Realization dawned upon Sesshoumaru. "Someone must have found the castle. The soldiers are going to defend it." He concluded, putting together the pieces.

_Is it Inuyasha?_ Kagome thought, her mood suddenly brightening at the thought of rescue.

"We're being rescued?" Kagome whispered allowed with awe in her voice.

Sesshoumaru sat in contemplation for a moment. If her friends had come for her then they just might make it through the youkai soldiers. They might even find the cell they were in and free them. Sesshoumaru doubted his brother would free him. As humiliating as it was, the Lord of the West knew that his half-breed brother could possibly kill him in his weakened state. He would not allow that. He would not be seen by anyone else in this condition.

"We are not being rescued." Sesshoumaru stated firmly. "We are being given a diversion. With the soldiers distracted we will have a better chance of escaping."

Kagome sighed. She was a little disappointed that they were not going to wait patiently for the rescue party. She turned bright blue eyes to the demon lord.

"Why don't we just wait here? I'm sure my friends will be able to find us and get us out." She questioned.

_Eep. _Kagome found herself pinned to a wall with Sesshoumaru's angry face in front of her.

"I will not sit here and allow that half breed the chance to see this Sesshoumaru like this." He growled out, giving her arms a squeeze for emphasis. When would this girl learn that his word was law?

"Ouch!" Kagome winced as one of his claws cut her. Sesshoumaru loosened his grip and looked at the cut. His golden eyes widened when the blood touched his finger.

He felt a searing sensation when her blood touched his flesh. In a few moments, he released her before his finger could be burned off. He stared at his burned flesh with fascination and brought the finger close to his face. The flesh bubbled as if acid had been poured upon it. If he had let the blood sit longer he may have lost a finger.

"Sesshoumaru?" Kagome questioned, seeing the surprised look in his face and his now bleeding finger. The cut on her arm wasn't bad and she was wondering what was bothering him.

"Woman." Sesshoumaru's voice was soft with awe. "I think you have just solved our problem."

* * *

"But Kikyou…" Inuyasha tried to compromise with the woman. She was leading him on a wild goose chase and he knew it. It had taken him a while to finally admit it, but he was tired of this game. 

"You've been leading me in circles for weeks now. Tell me why you don't want me to find Kagome." Inuyasha's golden gaze pierced Kikyou brown orbs.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Inuyasha." Kikyou replied. Inuyasha nearly growled in frustration.

"I'm not going to be mad. Just tell me. Did Naraku put you up to this? Is he forcing you to do this?" He pleaded with her to tell him the truth. He would forgive her. Although he lost the real Kikyou long ago, his heart would forever be hers.

"Inuyasha…" Kikyou's eyes softened for a moment. She knew he spoke the truth. He would not hate her no matter what she did. The small part of her that remembered love felt guilt for what she was doing. "I…" She clenched her jaw in determination.

"Naraku is not making me do this." Kikyou began. "A demon named Arago approached me to help capture my reincarnation. He needed her to complete an old spell from demon lore."

"Arago? Who is he? Where is he hiding?" Inuyasha persisted.

"I will show you. We are not far from his fortress." She turned to lead the way, the small piece of her soul that she retained feeling lighter with the confession.

"Why did you do it?" Inuyasha suddenly asked, his voice nothing more than a whisper. Kikyou turned to face her former lover. His silver hair gently swayed in the wind. The ears on top of his head were perked towards her at full attention. His golden eyes shone with hope that she was soon to break.

"He promised me my soul." Kikyou watched as the light in his eyes died. Her mouth went dry at the look of betrayal on his face. But the expression left his face and a small smile graced the hanyou's features.

"I should be angry with you. I should hate you, but I can't. I could never hate you, Kikyou." His head lowered and his bangs covered his eyes. He clenched his fists as his sides, holding back the tears in his eyes. He was angry at her betrayal, worried for Kagome, and worst of all, angry with himself for still harboring love for the woman before him. Taking a deep breath, he looked up to meet her indifferent gaze.

"But I still trust you. Lead the way and we will fix this together." He smiled at her. For a moment, he saw the woman she once was. The light in her eyes shined and the corners of her mouth lifted ever so slightly in a smile. He held his breath as he stared at Kikyou…the old Kikyou…and smiled wider when she approached him.

"This way." She pointed in the direction they would find Arago. Inuyasha nodded. He surprised her by kneeling on the ground. The woman hesitantly climbed onto his back as she had done many years ago when she was alive. Inuyasha waited for her to settle and set off into the forest. Nothing had ever felt so right in his life.

* * *

"Where are they coming from?" Sango groaned as more demons attacked. The small group had found a stone castle unlike any she had ever seen. They resembled what Kagome had called "fairy tale" castles when she told stories to Shippo. Only this castle was apparently full of endless amounts of demons. 

"This must be where she is." Miroku struggled to respond as he fought of youkai with his staff.

"Duck!" Sango shouted and Miroku did so. He gulped when he felt the breeze as her boomerang swept just overhead and into the youkai attacking him.

"Thanks." He answered as he stood up. The last wave was gone and they took a moment to breath before breeching the castle.

"This has to be it. They wouldn't fight so hard if it wasn't." Shippo said as he poofed from a log into his original form.

"I agree. Let's keep going." Miroku picked up his staff and headed out of the woods when Sango's gasp caught his attention. He turned and saw her gaze skyward and followed it. His eyes widened at the sight that met him and he said the only thing that came to mind.

"What the hell…."

* * *

"Are you sure?" Kagome asked. She wasn't sure whether or not she believed the youkai staring at her with annoyance. 

"Does this not show you proof?" Sesshoumaru countered, holding up his half burned finger as evidence of his claim.

After the realization that the miko's blood had burned him, Sesshoumaru could only come to one conclusion. Since a miko's blood could not harm him it had to be that the poison was merging with her blood to create a potent poison that could. He had explained the complexity of youkai and miko blood merging and was very tempted to roll his eyes at the woman's uncertainty.

"Great." Kagome growled. "Now my blood is some freakish mix of poison and purity. Life can't get any better." She ground out sarcastically. Sesshoumaru audibly sighed.

"The affects are not permanent. If you continue drinking my poisons, your miko blood will mix with it to create a new poison. Once you stop, your blood will eventually return to normal." He stated..

"And you think my poisonous blood will burn through that?" She asked, pointing to the golden chain around his neck.

"Precisely." He answered. Gold locked with blue gray in a test of wills. He narrowed his eyes slightly and smirked triumphantly when she huffed and looked away.

"Okay, but you owe me for this one." Kagome relented to his will, a fact that Sesshoumaru no doubt was wallowing in.

"Give me your hand." Sesshoumaru asked gently. He could smell the twinge of fear and anxiety on her. She was afraid of the pain she knew was coming. He admired the way she put of a brave front, dare he say respected her for it. Kagome gave him her hand without hesitation, a fact not missed by the demon lord.

_Perhaps with a little training, this woman could be an acceptable lady…_ He thought to himself as he turned her small hand towards him. Her palm was facing upwards and her eyes locked onto his.

"This will not hurt badly, Kagome." He assured her. Sesshoumaru did not miss the relief in her eyes as she nodded her consent. Her eyes remained on his as she refused to watch what he was doing.

Sesshoumaru carefully sliced one claw over her palm and turned the appendage upside down. Stretching out the chain, he wrapped her hand around it in a tight grip. Hearing her hiss in pain, he covered her hand with his own and squeezed gently to both comfort her and draw blood from the wound onto the golden chain. A sizzling sound met his ears and he soon felt his full senses return. The chain seared in half as Kagome's blood seeped onto it and Sesshoumaru let the necklace fall from the girl's grip. He took a deep breath as the chain fell to the ground and squeezed her hang again. Kagome's eyes locked with his and he let a small smile pull at his lips. He could feel the strength return to his body immediately after being freed from the binding necklace.

Kagome's eyes widened to the size of saucers when Sesshoumaru gently turned her palm towards him and brought it to his lips. She shivered as he ran his tongue over the small wound and couldn't help but think about the way it felt the night he cleaned her wounds. What would it feel like to feel that tongue without the burn of cuts? Sesshoumaru swallowed hard as the burning sensation slid down his throat. He could feel the acid like blood burn his throat, but without the necklace, his healing abilities immediately healed it. Inspecting her wound, he nodded his approval that it was cleaned and healing thanks to his saliva. He let go of her hand and watched as Kagome rubbed her fingers over the closing wound.

"Thank you." Kagome's voice was so soft he barely heard it. She stared at him for a moment, lost in his eyes as he gazed back down at her. The moment was broken when footsteps ran by the door as another group of soldiers passed by.

In an instant, Sesshoumaru's arm was around Kagome's waist and they were traveling faster than the eye could follow through the corridors of the castle. Sesshoumaru's strength was whole and he was no longer hindered by the spell of the necklace. He easily melted the door and used his speed to dodge the demons in the hallways. Turning a corner, he used his poison whip to decapitate two demons. Kagome yelped at the sight and clutched onto Sesshoumaru's side. He shifted her so that she was on his back and continued at a high rate of speed. They traveled the same passageways as the previous escape attempt, only this time, Sesshoumaru had his sight and his strength.

His nose picked up the fresh air and he bounded up the stairs towards freedom. His speed suddenly came to a halt when a figure blocked the light from outside. A snarl ripped from his throat when he recognized the blonde hair and ice blue eyes of their captor. He slid Kagome of off his back and stood tall and proud before the demon Arago.

"It seems you two are braver than I gave you credit for." Arago's cool voice echoed off the walls. "I never would have thought you two would try to escape after last time." He grinned wickedly at remembering how he tormented the human woman as punishment.

Sesshoumaru only narrowed his golden eyes. The indifferent mask was on his face as he stood a few feet away from Arago. He said nothing but let his acid whip do the talking. Arago's eyes widened in shock as his hand rose to his cheek. The green whip had sliced his cheek open and a stream of blood now marred his pale face.

"It seems you are going to die." Sesshoumaru stated confidently. Without another word, he sprung from his place in front of Kagome to attack Arago.

His claws glowed with green poison that melted the walls when his fists impacted them as Arago dodged his attack. Panic was apparent on the other youkai's face as Sesshoumaru continued his assault. A fist connected with Arago's face as Sesshoumaru lashed out at his former captor. Arago growled and imbedded his claws into Sesshoumaru's chest. The injury didn't slow the demon lord down as he slammed the fair haired youkai into the wall. Blue and green poison clashed as each youkai threw their own potent combinations at each other. Sesshoumaru kicked Arago in the stomach and made an attempt to slice his throat. Arago blocked it and slashed through his shoulder with his claws.

With a feral growl, Sesshoumaru swiped Arago's feet from underneath him and pulled back his hand to deliver the killing blow, but was stopped when Arago used his leverage to fling the inuyoukai from him. Sesshoumaru impacted the wall and watched as Arago sped towards Kagome. Her scream unnerved him as the strange youkai gripped her neck in his claws.

"Now don't do anything rash, Sesshoumaru. I don't want to hurt my little toy." He gripped her throat tighter for emphasis.

Sesshoumaru pushed off of the wall and approached the youkai. He leveled his gaze at Arago and concentrated on a way to kill him without harming Kagome. He could hear her struggle for breath in the grip of the monster behind her. The coward was using her like a shield to keep Sesshoumaru from attacking. His golden eyes sought her blue ones. Instead of fear, he saw determination shining back at him. A small smile played on her lips and Sesshoumaru cocked his head to the side in question. Instead of answering, Kagome closed her eyes. She took a deep breath and Sesshoumaru could feel the gathering of her holy energy.

Her eyes snapped open and a brilliant pink glow illuminated them. Her skin glowed pink as she concentrated on her powers. Arago yelled in outrage as his hand was burned beyond recognition. He pulled it from her and cradled it in his good hand as he howled in pain. Kagome ducked and shouted to the demon lord.

"Now!" She shouted.

Sesshoumaru did not hesitate. He flew forward with all of his speed with an arm extended and claws flexed. With a sickening sound of ripping flesh and bone, he tore into the chest of his enemy. Arago gagged as his breath was taken from him. He tried to swallow, but blood spilled from his lips as his form slackened and his eyes became vacant as his soul left his body. Sesshoumaru removed his now bloody arm from the torso of his fallen adversary and he stepped bad to allow the body to fall to the floor.

"Oh, that was just sick." Kagome groaned from behind him. Paying no more attention to the corpse, Sesshoumaru turned to Kagome. With one quick motion, he scooped her up and they were fleeing from the castle. Kagome threw her arms around his neck as she felt him ascend with his youkai cloud. The world blurred around her and she shut her eyes to keep her sanity. The wind whipped her hair and she buried her face in his shoulder. She was grinning like a madwoman as she clung to Sesshoumaru as they floated through the clouds. They were finally free.


End file.
